HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda_Steering Comm Mtg Packet 9-10-18Steering Committee of the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Monday, September 10, 2018, 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Helling Conference Room,
Iowa City City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
Meeting Agenda:
1. Call to Order (Call John Fraser first, who is traveling)
a. Review of Previous Meetings Minutes
2. Recap and goals for the meeting
3. Comments on Final Draft of Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
4. Discussion of Future Organization of Committee
5. Discussion of Top Three Priority Items
6. Other Discussion
7. Adjourn by 5:30 p.m.
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact
Brenda Nations, Sustainability Coordinator, at 319-356-6161 or at brenda-nations@iowa-city.org. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Meeting Minutes
Steering Committee of the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Thursday, February 15, 2018 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library
123 Linn Street
Members in Attendance: Members Absent:
Ingrid Anderson John Fraser
Jesse Leckband
Charlie Stanier
GT Karr
Ryan Sempf Consultants Present:
Martha Norbeck (arrived 10:10 a.m.) Caty Lamadrid, Inova Energy
Anne Russett Lindy Wordlaw, Elevate Energy
Matt Krieger
Katie Sarsfield Others Present:
Charlie Stanier Mayor Jim Throgmorton
Eden Dewald
Eric Tate City Staff Present:
Liz Maas Brenda Nations, Sustainability Coordinator
Ashley Monroe, Assistant City Manager
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Ingrid Anderson, Chairperson.
2. Approval of Minutes
Additions to minutes from 12/7/17. Final minutes will be presented at next meeting for approval.
3. Recap and Meeting Goals
Lindy Wordlaw reviewed the agenda. She noted a few more comments should be added to the last
meeting minutes. Ashley Monroe said that she would send the added content to the Committee and
resubmit the minutes for approval at the next meeting.
Wordlaw reviewed subcommittee opportunities.
Caty Lamadrid walked through the slides provided to the Committee and explained how the consultant
team modeled, analyzed the actions. Russett clarified that all actions were accounted for in the
modeling.
Stanier made motion to that the cross-cutting principles "voluntary, award" rarely appear in plan draft.
He passed out content of motion (attached) and explained each point. Ryan Sempf agreed that
requirements make it more difficult to develop business. Without assistance or incentives to help
businesses, there will not be a reason they want to stay in IC if required to comply.
Krieger said that we need to be careful about relaxing standards in order to meet the goals.
Lamadrid explained the goal of the meeting today. Norbeck said that she feels the items are included
within the plan. Consultants, Nations, and Monroe all agreed that there is a place for the specifics from
Stanier in the Plan. Committee agreed, at the suggestion of Anderson, that the items brought forward by
Stanier should be addressed by the draft plan sub-committee.
Eric Tate agrees with Stanier's point about cross-cutting initiatives. His concern of inclusion of equity
throughout the plan, not just in sustainability but equity, costs, etc.
Krieger clarified that the impact section may be where it is underdeveloped. Tate agreed but said that its
not just about talking to people. Wordlaw said that should not be limited to subcommittee work -
committee members can begin that conversation.
Wordlaw asked if anything is missing. Stanier said that he is not quite ready to leave the topic of bio
natural gas. Anderson and Stanier talked for a moment about opportunities. IEDC might see some
chances for this idea. Kreiger agreed that offsets are not addressed in here. Jesse Leckband noted as a
resident, his interests lie in biowaste and composting. Leckband had to leave at 10:36 a.m.
4. Review of Strategies
Energy Efficiency
Wordlaw said that 2025 goal should be attainable. Reviewed the two energy efficiency items. Krieger
noted and Anderson agreed, that lots of the reliance in the section is on energy efficiency incentives
through the utility; Senate study bills currently in statehouse that might take away the incentives.
Norbeck said that benchmarking needs to be part of these sections; shame and accolades are effective.
Requested a placeholder that we identify a benchmarking requirement or program. Stanier wants to
look outside the box – possibly at a 3rd party company, GT Karr said HBA should be included but without
incentives, many contractors will not be interested and noted that 14-24% cost to build homes is
attributed to regulation. Krieger said to involve Historic Preservation and AIA as well.
New Construction - Enforcement
Norbeck wants to see coordinating with neighboring communities and improved enforcement strategy
across the metro area. Karr said that an easy extra step would be to add an (energy) inspection.
Generally, agreed that specific items can be addressed through the task force action.
Implementation partners - seek P3. There should be groups of businesses going after this.
Charlie noted the finer phrasing of electric (energy) versus efficiency of energy.
[Which energy topic was this?]
Krieger said that market is moving this direction and doable. Identified Solarize as a program, Nations
noted that some communities are doing similar programs with gas. Norbeck noted the gas water
heaters as efficiency, rather than renewable. Stanier said a variety of methods of heating. Monroe
identified the opportunity for neighborhood marketing to assist this action. Liz Maas suggested that due
to polictial climate, we let me people know that the community still has opportunity to do these things.
Stanier said that the Plan needs a definitions section to unburden the document. Stanier suggested if
you want a gas hookup, pay for it; want electric, you get an incentive.
Transportation
Lamadrid explained approach to transportation Sarsfield suggested manufacturing requirements for
parking spaces. Krieger said should include awards programming for transit. Sempf said to include East
Central Iowa Council of Government. Russett suggested a guaranteed ride home program; does not
want to forget bus transit between major cities, explained that focus on rail is good but wants to see
busing as well. Norbeck happy to see last mile component mentioned. Dewald said that University Office
of Sustainability has been investigating adding EV charging to places on campus. Expansion of bike
library or bike share program would help students who live farther from school buildings.
Stanier said to take out diesel travel. No one objected. Idea to involve car sales transactions. Incentivize
electric vehicle sales.
Sempf clarified discussion of _____________
Norbeck offered a truck idling policy, rather than the diesel travel action and DeWald suggested
improvements to Bongo app to provide a better estimate of idling vehicles, waiting for a bus to arrive.
Sempf said we need to work at marketing the perception/stigma of taking a bus - changing perception of
riding a bus. Some group discussion about promoting use of transit for a variety of trips, more than
commuting. They noted that taking the bus is not just a convenience factor and decisions should not be
made in a vacuum.
Maas noted needed opportunities for parking to change suggested that instead of moving a car each day
from one side of the street to the other, (incentivizes drivers to just drive, instead of moving it and then
riding a bike) could they move cars less? She also asked about the Hawkeye train and whether it could it
be used more often. Sempf noted that this is part of a current study.
Tate remarked on the needs vs wants of users when doing the transit study. The study should ask about
the “wants” in addition to the “needs” because people use transit for different things and “wants” may
open system to new riders. Said study should also look at how the transit system is financed. Sarsfield
noted opportunities for special or additional routes, especially on single-day celebrations.
Other Thoughts
Anderson was concerned about the number of task forces listed in the actions and their potential for
becoming siloed. Tate said that for example, one of these groups could connect to the others. Sempf
said that he would want to see a committed group, perhaps with people from the Steering Committee
to help with the implementation, or be part of the task force/s.
Russett raised the importance of the land use action. She said it is important to make the connection
between land use and transportation.
Norbeck said creating a cultural shift is absolutely critical for implementation of [the Plan]. Group
concern over state legislators reacting to University and City policies and actions.
Wordlaw clarified an error in spreadsheet and she will return information to the group. Committee
agreed on how to receive and provide comments and reviewed the next steps.
Anderson suggested a quick call-in or webinar meeting. Krieger suggested the outreach committee help
with the final community meeting planning.
7. Adjourn
Meeting Adjourned at 12:08 p.m.
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
Steering Committee of the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Iowa City City Hall, Development Services Conference Room
410 E. Washington Street
Members in Attendance: Members Absent:
Eric Tate John Fraser
Jesse Leckband Ingrid Anderson
Charlie Stanier
GT Karr
Ryan Sempf Consultants Present by Phone:
Martha Norbeck Lindy Wordlaw, Elevate Energy
Anne Russett
Matt Krieger
Katie Sarsfield Others Present:
Charlie Stanier Mayor Jim Throgmorton
Eden Dewald
Liz Maas (10:05) City Staff Present:
Brenda Nations, Sustainability Coordinator
Ashley Monroe, Assistant City Manager
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 10:02 a.m. by Martha Norbeck, Committee Member.
2. Update on Plan Brenda Nations gave an update, covered work by sub-committees, which have been
very busy working on their tasks. Plan Review Committee has been through it twice over, now at City
department review. Ashley Monroe described the work that went into ensuring that the City and
community groups are comfortable with the accuracy and flexibility of Plan actions. Lindy Wordlaw
noted that the work done by the adaptation and equity committees are included in the Plan and
Adaptation components.
Wordlaw explained upcoming memo that will go out to the Committee and expectation that they will
provide comment on anything major that has been left out of the Plan.
Ryan Sempf asked about whether the draft plan includes the metrics are going to be included in the final
draft. Nations explained that the consultants and City decided to keep the information and calculations
in the back end of the report. Metrics won't be listed for each action, but will have a broad overall goal.
Matt Krieger asked if not tracking by action, how are actions prioritized? Wordlaw explained that the
order in which the actions appear are shown most of the time, from most emissions reduction potential
to least potential. Sempf said that the document is for public consumption, more information, rather
than less is better. Norbeck suggested using a calculator that changes the numbers to an equal number
of trees, etc. Monroe noted that some opportunity lies with the Steering Committee if it is to continue
its charge, that they can see and evaluate the data and determine priority actions, allow public access to
back-of-house data/calculations.
Charlie Stanier said that geothermal is not something that we do here [the City]. Krieger also caught this
and the plan is already revised. Stanier asked about education component being too vague. Group held
some discussion about how the education is tied to specific actions now, rather than just laying it in the
City’s and Nations’ responsibility.
Liz Maas asked about whether the City had considered if there will be ordinances and setting enough
time for that process. A response indicated that the need for ordinances and other policies will come
through the implementation process, rather than needing to be set immediately. Sempf said that it is
important if there is a chance that regulations can be put in place need to meet with impacted groups
before it is approved. GT Karr added that from an HBA perspective, he would like to run the Plan by the
Association. Krieger said that we need to set a framework so the implementation phase can work
directly with the community stakeholders.
Eric Tate asked about whether outreach and equity sub-committees have talked to each other yet.
There has not been discussion up to this point. Krieger responded that it's a two-fold outreach effort:
first to create awareness, and then to get engaged with the groups that most need to be consulted.
Must coordinate effort between equity.
Eden DeWald asked if there is a proposed timeline for how often the plan should be revised and
rechecked. Wordlaw responded that it is common to report every year and update or write a new plan
every five to ten years. Nations said that the update would likely come close to 2025, when the first goal
year is close.
3. Next Steps
Wordlaw explained design elements and plans used as examples of things the City liked, including San
Antonio, Boston and Portland. Answered a few minor design questions. Krieger asked about time frame
that consultant needs the Committee to turn it around. Wordlaw replied about a week or less, from the
time they get changes from the City. Jesse Leckband volunteered MidAmerican images and Norbeck said
that she would work with local restaurants and New Pioneer Co-op that might be able to give photo
permissions.
Committee members discussed ideas that they would like included in a letter from the Steering
Committee. Ideas included: Norbeck wants to make sure that emphasis is on community effort and
emphasis. “It should be a movement.” “Plan has to become a reality” John Fraser added that “we are
selling and being proactive in communicating to stakeholders and decision-makers; it’s going to be a lot
of work; need carefully communicate [messages].” Stanier said that the Plan can be used as a
competitive advantage of Iowa City and suggested that Anderson goes back to the Plan vision statement
and its mention of the groups mentioned.
Krieger discussed implementation efforts with Outreach Committee. They would like a working meeting
of the full Committee to come up with a recommendation for City Council as to the implementation
phase. Should schedule a meeting to discuss. Monroe added that how implementation plan will address
equity should also be discussed in that meeting.
Stanier would like the City to propose what their implementation strategy is. He feels that there has
been too much filtering by the City. Norbeck says that they attend the meetings and then go away.
Sempf said it needs to be a community plan, not a city-driven plan; need the community to be involved.
He would also like to see in writing what the City proposes.
Nations and Monroe are open to explore limited City engagement for a meeting as the group hashes out
a proposal. Fraser wants to sit down and talk through who the group is and agrees that the group needs
to address what their role will be to play in the community.
Tate can see both sides of City participating or not participating in the meeting - wants some guidance
and parameters. Monroe agreed that she would attempt to summarize what is expected as City roles
and responsibilities and provide to the Committee. Anne Russett said that whatever the Steering
Committee decides is going to be crucial to include. Leckband said that this recommendation probably
should not change the Plan. Fraser reminded the group that there is currently no continuation of the
Steering Committee.
Monroe summarized City communications strategy. Norbeck asked for an html to paste into MailChimp,
send out to groups and an alternate email news update; she needs an image that can copy and paste.
Maas will be advertising at Farmer's Market; 100 Grannies would probably be willing to handle as well.
Krieger to send a Sharepoint Excel file for Committee Members to fill in with groups they are contacting
and then will be sent by Nations.
Wordlaw talked briefly about what the Community Meeting will look like, asked for Members to submit
feedback and comments. Maas said that there might be time during the community meeting to really
get specific buy-in from community members and Krieger agreed. Maas said she would like to get more
and better feedback than last time where everyone just agreed it all sounded good. Group agreed that
we have to have some way to get the “non-choir” participants to attend. Stanier suggested having tiers
of actions that people can commit to - very substantive ideas.
Consultant team will send Committee Minutes, Plan, and Survey results.
7. Adjourn
Meeting Adjourned at 11:44 a.m.
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
Steering Committee of the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Friday, June 8, 2018 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Neumann Monson Architects Conference Room
221 East College Street | Suite 303
Members in Attendance: Members Absent:
Eric Tate Liz Maas
Jesse Leckband
Charlie Stanier
GT Karr
Ryan Sempf Consultants Present by Phone:
Martha Norbeck Lindy Wordlaw, Elevate Energy
Anne Russett
Matt Krieger
Katie Sarsfield Others Present:
Charlie Stanier Jamie Porter, Chamber of Commerce Intern
Eden Dewald
John Fraser City Staff Present:
Ingrid Anderson Brenda Nations, Sustainability Coordinator
Ashley Monroe, Assistant City Manager
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 7:30 a.m. by Ingrid Anderson, Committee Chair.
2. Review Goals Group discussed purpose of the Steering Committee moving forward. Krieger asked
everyone to identify an end in mind first and then back into how the group needs to be structured.
3. Review of Timeline Timeline reviewed.
4. Implementation Governance Structure
Group defined roles of the group as follows:
External Advisory Role:
• Technical Expertise
• Periodic Input
Cheerleader/Active Engagement
• Need to have more conversations regarding implications for concerns of implementation
Each action should have identified who is responsible for each of these, document shared which Monroe
put together showing the 35 actions & specific responsibilities. We need a plan for each individual
action and identify key partners for each action. Steering Committee needs these prioritized.
Need a continuing resolution to keep Steering Committee going (if we want working groups then this
must be taken into account when making the proposal).
Summary:
• Identify stakeholders in each action
• Develop implementation plan for priority actions
• Develop approach for each stakeholder
• Identify impacts & those affected
5. Steering committee member future roles
Group agreed that proposal to Council should include a paid full-time person to champion & measure
(research & organize, also track metrics & actions (record keeper), strategic planning); Perhaps Climate
Action Coordinator. Develop job description.
• Proposal includes prioritization of inventive plans
• Propose working groups to help with the enactment of the plan
• Show returns immediately to help momentum
6. Next Steps
Need recommendation for City Council.
Need post Council Meeting Steering Team meeting to decide on methods of implementation.
Anderson and Krieger to get a draft out to the group next week for proposal. Motion made by Anderson,
second by ??? to create a proposal for continuing steering committee and general authority to plan for
implementation. 13-0 Aye.
7. Other
None
Adjourn
Meeting Adjourned at 10:02 a.m.
1
Meeting Minutes
Steering Committee of the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Friday, August 10, 2018, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Iowa City City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
Members in Attendance: Members Absent:
Ingrid Anderson Anne Russett
Martha Norbeck Ryan Sempf
Charles Stanier Liz Maas
Katie Sarsfield
Jesse Leckband
Matt Krieger
John Fraser
Eric Tate
GT Karr
Eden DeWald
City Staff Present:
Brenda Nations, Sustainability Coordinator
Sue Dulek, Assistant City Attorney
Others Present:
Carol Trockmorton, Yanni Koutsonikolis
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 4:00 a.m. by Ingrid Anderson, Committee Chair.
2. Recap, update and goals for the meeting
• Nations gave an update since the Community Meeting.
• Community meeting was very successful, all should have received the report that Elevate
provided with a summary of the public input.
• All 100 participants were added to the Sustainability Newsletter mailing list (as were attendees
of the first community meeting).
• The newsletter went out giving the attendees a link to the summary report, a video and the
online link to take the pledge online.
• Update on the CAAP: in final design, was going to be ready to go in the Council packet next
Thurs. to be adopted at Aug. 21st , Council Meeting. Should include within memo what action
this committee wants to take. The date just got pushed back to Sept. 18th
• Our Communications team is working on final design document. Estimated to be ready around
Aug. 31st. Nations will send ASAP and will be on vacation Sept. 1-9
• Other deliverables from Elevate:
Climate Action Toolkit-Our communications team just completed today
Still waiting on:
1. Adaptation Document with vulnerability assessment
2
2. High level memo with associated costs, etc.
3. Excel spreadsheet to track progress of actions
4. Resource document (former 88 p. detailed report on each action)
3. Discussion of Advisory Committee vs. Formal Council Appointed Committee
Sue Dulek was present to answer questions about City Commissions and legal requirements.
Q: Would communications to the Council be the same for either group? A: yes, both could report to
Council and have a voice.
Q: Is their authority different? A: Not necessarily different. Officially appointed may have more clout.
Q: Would advisory group have size limits? A: No. If Council appointed committee, they would decide
how many would be in committee.
Nations mentioned that smaller is often more efficient to get things done and that the Climate Steering
Committee is one of the larger formal committees.
Q: What about working groups? Could that be done with formal committee? Could the Advisory group
be a working group to formal committee? Scope is larger than steering committee, that
working/advisory committee. Karr stated for example, he has-building codes expertise, may only like to
focus on that. Working groups could focus on action items and could meet more often. Liaisons could
meet less often and be looking at reporting or updates
Anderson said we could have advisory group meeting for a year and see how it is working, if see a need
to make it more formalized later we could, would hesitate to put together by laws for a formal
committee together at this stage.
A: Advisory groups are more flexible, but can also be open to public and have community meetings.
Could have minutes for the public, etc.
Q: Does anyone feel strongly about formal meeting?
Krieger mentioned that formal meeting would have more credibility.
Stanier said the scope is so large it warrants external formal committee to meet quarterly to hear about
the plan and advise both staff and city if things are going well or not, would be harder for it to fizzle out,
won’t stall. A group of volunteers to help out to implement the plan will make it more successful. Need
to put about $400,000/year to climate related activities to turn ship. Someone should have eyes on it.
Could be other money that is flowing through, not necessary all City funds.
Fraser discussed credibility. If we lose credibility to Council, that would be a concern.
Q: Krieger asked: how would getting on a committee/advisory group differ? A: Council would appoint if
formal committee. Often based on expertise.
Norbeck noted that the open meeting laws feel strangling, not effective, no freedom to communicate
outside, being on the committee has been far less effective than had hoped, would not be interested in
continuing formal committee.
3
Q: How would a quorum be defined? A: Quorum is defined in bylaws, majority of committee.
Q How does the overall process compare? A: Slower if formal committee.
Fraser mentioned that the advisory group has not “invited” and wondered what is the best vehicle do
successfully do that? Noted that as long as there is a passion the group should continue.
Nations stated that the Mayor also said that he had hoped the group would continue for
implementation of the Plan in past meetings.
Nations mentioned that staff time would be allocated regardless of committee structure. More staff
time would be needed to deal with the administration of a formal committee. Much less time staff time
is needed for an advisory committee.
Q: Are there any additional resources that will be allocated? A: Not at this time. Council will decide
about budget in the future.
A: No money is usually expended on board and commissions, commitment is usually only staff time. A
transcriber could be hired and used for a formal committee to take minutes.
The group agreed that it would be important in having an implementation staff person or a consultant in
a contracted role for implementation to make all the items on the plan happen.
There could be an Implementation task force-doers could build community, make ad hoc groups of
experts, have a small formal body with an oversight role of ”grading” of how process is going, record of
quarterly grades and assessment.
Committee agreed that adding full-time staff should be added to memo along with recommendation. It
was asked “How do we integrate with non-city actions?” “We have to have a paid a person.”
Group agreed that in first year, would like to show tangible results with limited budget.
Norbeck moved that the steering committee should transition to an advisory group.
9 voted for, Stanier opposed.
Group decided to pilot for one year after which it will be evaluated if any changes are needed, such as to
form a formalized committee. Will make sure cross cutting community, racial equity, gender, etc. Would
like to consider including some other representation.
Ryan Sempf-has moved away and is no longer available
Anne Russett-is working for the City of Iowa City now and is unavailable
Liz Maas-was not able to attend this meeting but is interested in continuing and has no preference for
the format of the committee.
DeWald, Fraser, Anderson, Sarsfield, and Krieger will take responsibility on meeting again as a small
group to discuss organization of new advisory group and all that goes with it.
4
Implementation planning priorities were discussed, since Council is interested in what to do first.
Norbeck suggested defining top three implementation items that could be done in the first year. What
could be accomplished with resources and will in the community. Priorities can be varied such as
marketing value---money, leverage power, showing quick victory, high value, visibility.
Idea is to pick something like existing buildings, and drilling into what action must happen next.
Wanted clear directions of what actions should be taken first, if subcommittee can meet, each review all
reviewed the list, each committee member can pick personal top three, data is out there already.
The steering committee group decided it would be the goals of group to collect initial thoughts, hash out
top three.
The Steering Committee determined they would like to meet again and the date decided worked best
for all was Monday Sept 10th at 4 pm. Fraser will call in.
Norbeck will put together all information about the personal top three priorities and cc: Nations when
emailing the group the information to prepare for the next meeting.
4. Adjourn
Meeting Adjourned at 5:27 p.m.
Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan
IOWA CITY
2
City of Iowa City
City Council
» Jim Throgmorton, At-Large and Mayor
» Kingsley Botchway II, At-Large
» Rockne Cole, At-Large
» Susan Mims, District B
» Mazahir Salih, At-Large
» Pauline Taylor, District A, Mayor Pro Tem
» John Thomas, District C
City Staff
Key Project Staff
» Brenda Nations, Sustainability Coordinator
» Geoff Fruin, City Manager
» Ashley Monroe, Assistant City Manager
» Dylan Cook, Energy Efficiency Assistant
» Shannon McMahon, Communications Coordinator
» Katie Linder, Digital Communications Specialist
Other Contributors
Dennis Bockenstedt, Andrea Boller, Marcia Bollinger, Stefanie Bowers,
Jack Brooks, Ben Clark, Ty Coleman, Toni Davis, Wendy Ford, Zac Hall,
Jason Havel, Tim Hennes, Tracy Hightshoe, Karen Howard, Juli Seydell-
Johnson, Jen Jordan, Ron Knoche, Stan Laverman, Bob Miklo, Kumi Morris,
Darian Nagle-Gamm, Mark Rummel, Jon Resler, Kevin Slutts,
Dan Striegel, Tim Wilkey, John Yapp, and Kent Ralston
Johnson County
» David Koch, Public Health Director
» Nalo Johnson, Community Health Manager
Climate Action Steering Committee
Members of the Steering Committee were appointed by the
City Council in January 2017.
» Chairperson: Ingrid Anderson, University of Iowa, Environmental
Compliance Specialist
» GT Karr, Greater Iowa City Home Builders Association, 2nd Vice President
» Katie Sarsfield, Procter & Gamble Oral Care, Site Engineering Leader
» Jesse Leckband, MidAmerican Energy Company, Sr. Environmental Analyst
» Liz Maas, Kirkwood Community College, Assistant Professor of Biology and
Environmental Science
» Ryan Sempf, Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, Director, Government
Relations and Public Policy
» Matt Krieger, Neumann Monson Architects, Licensed Architect
At-large Representatives
» John Fraser, Management Consultant
» Charlie Stanier, University of Iowa Associate Professor (College of
Engineering)
» Martha Norbeck, Licensed Architect, C-Wise Design and Consulting
» Eric Tate, University of Iowa Assistant Professor (Department of
Geographical and Sustainability Sciences)
» Anne Russett, former City Planner, City of Cedar Rapids;
Senior Planner, City of Iowa City
Student Representative
» Eden DeWald, University of Iowa
Acknowledgements
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 3
Fellow Iowa Citians,
It is my great pleasure to present you with a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for Iowa City.
Prepared by a 13-member Steering Committee in collaboration with City staff and a consulting team led by Elevate
Energy, the Plan offers a way to turn the threats posed by global climate change into an opportunity: to build an
economy and community that will sustain us and other living creatures long into the future.
When the City Council adopted a resolution to create the Steering Committee in April 2017, they made sure that
the committee would include a diverse mix of residents and key stakeholders, including five members of the
general public, an architect, an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, and representatives from the University,
Kirkwood Community College, the Home Builders Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Procter & Gamble, and
MidAmerican Energy.
The committee and consulting team have been quite busy over the past 14 months, trying to ensure that the Plan
would be technically sound while also reflecting the interests and concerns of the public and local businesses. The
committee and the consulting team met eight times between June 2017 and June 2018. Committee members
also organized themselves into Equity, Outreach, and Adaptation subcommittees, and created a Draft Review
subcommittee to review all preliminary versions of this Plan. Roughly 100 people participated in a Community
Meeting last November, and approximately 800 individuals responded to an online survey earlier this year.
I invite you to read the Plan and find your own role within it.
Let me highlight just a few key features.
The Plan summarizes what your City government has done over the past decade to get us to this point. It provides
background information about how our climate has been changing and is expected to change in the future. And it
documents how our community-wide greenhouse gas emissions have changed over time.
I am especially pleased to report that our latest (2015) community-wide inventory shows that emissions have
decreased by roughly 23 percent since 2005. This reduction brings us within just a few percentage points of our
goal for 2025!
Although this reduction is pleasing, there is still a great deal more to do.
Most important, the Plan identifies 35 actions that will help us achieve our goals: to reduce our 2005 emissions
roughly 30 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050. Broadly speaking, these actions include partnership
building, policy changes, education and awareness, pilot projects, lifestyle changes, and development of new
programs.
Letter from Mayor Jim Throgmorton
4
The Plan also responds constructively to the regrettable likelihood that, as Iowa City’s climate changes, some
residents will be affected more adversely than others; for example, the ability to act quickly during emergency
events will amplify vulnerabilities that currently exist for cost-burdened households, people with mobility issues, or
households with language barriers. The Plan suggests ways to avoid or alleviate such inequities.
Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 and adapting to unavoidable changes in climate
will be no easy task. These goals cannot be achieved by Iowa City government alone. Nor can they be achieved
simply by adopting new rules and regulations.
For us to succeed, all parties will need to be moving in a common direction. City government will need to
establish or build upon existing collaborative partnerships with other jurisdictions, businesses, industry, and
community-based organizations.
Most important, we need to draw upon your knowledge, experience, insights, and action. For this reason, we seek
your advice about how to improve the Plan and ensure it provides a viable and effective pathway into the future.
The future lies before us. Let us create it together.
Jim Throgmorton
Mayor of Iowa City
Letter from Mayor Jim Throgmorton continued
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 5
Letter From The Steering Committee
Dear Mayor, City Council, and fellow Iowa Citians:
Iowa City is well aware of the risk associated with climate change. Floods, droughts, and increasingly severe
weather events illustrate the impacts that a changing climate can have on our community. We have an opportunity
and a responsibility to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate-related threats to our
community.
In 2016, the City of Iowa City set ambitious emissions reduction goals for 2025 and 2050. To achieve these
goals, the City determined that a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan would be necessary to guide its efforts
toward emissions reductions. The City created the Climate Action Steering Committee in 2017 to provide input to
City staff and the consulting team led by Elevate Energy during the development of the Climate Action Plan.
The Committee is comprised of 13 members – seven stakeholder representatives and five at-large community
representatives. The represented stakeholders are the University of Iowa, Greater Iowa City Home Builders
Association, Procter & Gamble Oral Care, MidAmerican Energy Company, Kirkwood Community College, Iowa City
Area Chamber of Commerce, and a Certified Architect. The community representatives include a management
consultant, architect, University of Iowa professors of Engineering and Geographical & Sustainability Sciences, an
urban planner, and a University of Iowa student. This diverse representation brought together perspectives from
those likely to lead climate action initiatives and those likely to be impacted by climate action efforts.
The Climate Action Committee met with the City and consultants throughout the last year’s plan development
process. These discussions provided critical input, perspective, and expertise in determining the content of the
plan. We also held two community meetings to gather public input on the actions proposed in the Plan. As stated
in our vision for the Climate Action Plan, our goal is to create a more resilient, equitable, and livable Iowa City for
all. There are 35 proposed actions, which will provide a diverse array of options for the City, local business and
industry, and individuals to make a difference.
We are honored to have been chosen to serve the Iowa City community during the Climate Action Plan
development, and we are eager to help Iowa City move toward achieving its goals during implementation of the
proposed actions. We are at the beginning of what we hope will be a robust, community-wide effort to effect
positive change.
Sincerely,
City of Iowa City Climate Action Committee
Ingrid Anderson, GT Karr, Katie Sarsfield, Jesse Leckband, Liz Maas, Ryan Sempf, Matt Krieger, John Fraser,
Martha Norbeck, Charlie Stanier, Eric Tate, Anne Russett, Eden DeWald
6
The Iowa City community is ready to respond to the
challenges of climate change. Iowa City has, and will
continue to be impacted by the effects of greenhouse
gas increases in the global atmosphere produced
by fossil fuel use and other human activities related
to lifestyle choices. In the last several years, Iowa
City has experienced increases in flood magnitude
and frequency, intense precipitation events, warmer
temperatures, strong winds and changes in plant
communities. Experts predict these changes will
continue and likely intensify as levels of emissions
continue to increase.
This Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for the City
of Iowa City outlines thirty-five actions to be taken
by the community and City which will result in an 80
percent reduction of community-wide greenhouse gas
emissions by 2050. Implementing these actions will
allow Iowa City to adapt to climate change and remain
a resilient, healthy community, for
current residents and for future
generations. Additionally, actions
outlined in the plan reflect local
responsibility toward reducing the
causes of global climate change
and its negative affects around
the world, and to do so in an
equitable manner.
Actions in the plan were chosen
because they were locally
relevant and the most impactful
choices to achieve a short-term
26 to 28 percent greenhouse
gas reduction goal by 2025 and
an 80 percent reduction goal
by 2050. The actions will help
position Iowa City as a national
leader in sustainable practices,
which can be used to maintain
and drive economic development. Actions are organized
into three traditional emission-producing categories, a
category on adapting to climate change, and a section
on personal lifestyle changes:
• Buildings
• Transportation
• Waste
• Adaptation
• Sustainable Lifestyle
A number of actions are already being implemented,
and other complementary actions can be undertaken
immediately and will have cumulative effects. Some
actions will require a longer timeframe to implement.
Actions specific to climate adaptation are included in
this report, but a separate Vulnerability Assessment and
Climate Adaptation report contains more comprehensive
details on risk-based adaptation measures.
This plan will be most useful and effective if our
community works together to reach the proposed goals.
Partnerships and collaboration are essential in this
effort to establish a new “business as usual” mindset
which regularly reinforces behavior, innovation, and
action that furthers achievement of these climate goals.
Partnerships are necessary to represent, consider,
and include all people across Iowa City in a fair and
just manner, and provide tools and information that
incentivize broad participation. Significant emphasis
will be placed upon reaching and connecting with
a diversity of populations in Iowa City to ensure that
engagement, education, and concerns are addressed
equitably.
We have already seen a significant decrease in our
greenhouse gas emissions over the past few years
with MidAmerican Energy’s commitment to renewable
electricity and from the University of Iowa’s replacement
of coal with biofuels in their power plant. Their efforts
provide Iowa City with a unique head start; however, the
collective action of our entire community will be needed
to achieve our ambitious greenhouse gas reduction
goals by 2050.
The completion of this plan does not mark an endpoint,
but rather the beginning of a long-term effort. Plan
progress should be monitored and evaluated regularly,
and this document should be updated as technologies,
economic conditions, and demographics change. In
order to implement and move the plan forward, ongoing
collaborations and community effort are essential.
Implementing this plan will put Iowa City at the forefront
of Midwestern cities mitigating and preparing for the
effects of climate change.
Executive Summary
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 7
Table of Contents
FiguresCover Page
Acknowledgments
Executive Summary
Introduction
Iowa City: Leading by Example
Iowa City’s Climate Action Goal
Understanding the Climate Future of
Iowa City
The Path to Climate Action
Feature: A STAR Community
Iowa City Baseline Consumption-based
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Plan Development
Our Vision
The Process
Guiding Principles
Taking Action – How to Use This Plan
Summary of Actions
Meeting Our Targets
Feature: Partners’ Commitments to Renewable
Energy
Taking Action: Buildings
Background
Feature: Energy Efficiency Programs
Actions
Callout Box: How to Contribute
Taking Action: Transportation
Background
Actions
Callout Box: How to Contribute
Taking Action: Waste
Background
Feature: Iowa City’s Municipal Solid Waste
Stream
Feature: The Connection between Water and
Wastewater Treatment and Climate Impacts
Actions
Callout Box: How to Contribute
Taking Action: Adaptation
Background
Feature: June 2008 Flood
Actions
Callout Box: How to Contribute
Taking Action: Sustainable Lifestyle
Background
Actions
Feature: Plant-Based Diet
Callout Box: How to Contribute
Plan Implementation
Call to Action
Reporting Progress
Glossary
Appendices
Appendix 1. Methodology
Appendix 2. Survey Results
Appendix 3. Stakeholder Interviews
Appendix 4. Summary of Actions
Expanded Table
1
2
6
8
14
17
27
35
42
49
55
63
66
69
10
11
12
13
15
15
15
16
25
25
37
38
45
45
Figure 1: Climate change will be most noticeable
in Iowa City’s summer weather
Figure 2: Iowa City temperatures have been
rising since the 1950s and are projected to
continue this trend
Figure 3: Iowa City precipitation has been rising
and future projections for will continue trending
upward
Figure 4: Timeline of Iowa City’s commitment to
climate work for over a decade
Figure 5: Iowa City Community total annual
emissions, 2005-2015, and emission reduction
targets
Figure 6: Iowa City CO2e totals by source, 2015
Figure 7: 2015 Municipal operations CO2e
emissions by sector
Figure 8: Consumption-based greenhouse gas
emissions for Iowa City
Figure 9A: 2025 GHG Emissions MTC02e
Figure 9B: 2050 GHG Emissions MTC02e
Figure 10: Iowa Citians travel mostly by car, then
walking and public transportation
Figure 11: Metro Area Transit services includes
routes in Iowa City, Coralville and the University’s
transit system
Figure 12: Organics, followed by paper and
plastic products make up the majority of landfilled
materials
Figure 13: Past and projected waste to landfill
(tons of waste) to exceed 140,000 tons by 2050
Introduction
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 9
Climate change is experienced by all. Effects will range
from minor, like seasonal comfort levels or a longer
allergy season, to major, such as property damage,
weakened infrastructure, disruption of essential
services, and increases in public health issues like
asthma. These impacts have the potential to affect
some populations more adversely than others.
The time is now for Iowa City to act. The City has
demonstrated its longstanding commitment to
addressing climate change in tandem with partners
across the nation, including the Urban Sustainability
Directors Network. Iowa City signed the Global
Covenant of Mayors and has been working on the
requirements for compliance of the program. Those
who live, work, and play in Iowa City are invited to join
together to meet this transformative opportunity.
Iowa City’s Climate Action Goal
On December 16, 2016, the Iowa City City Council
formally resolved to reduce 2005-level greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2025, and
80 percent by 2050, matching the U.S. commitment
to the Paris Climate Agreement prior to the 2017
discussion of withdrawal. The establishment of an
official goal by the current City Council represented
nearly a decade of work by City staff and varying
commitments by City leadership.
Understanding the Climate Future
of Iowa City
In 2017, the announcement of the United States’ desire
to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement shifted
the responsibility of action and innovation in climate
change mitigation from national agencies to cities.
Cities have been at the forefront of climate action and
will continue to lead the way. Iowa City is among those
cities that have risen to the challenge. As evidenced
through collaborative efforts across communities and
sectors, there is a determination in Iowa City to identify,
address, and to the degree possible, prevent the nega-
tive impacts of climate change.
Decades of scientific research have concluded that
human activities are changing the global climate.
Average temperatures worldwide have risen since
Iowa City: Leading by Example
10
the last century and particularly so in the most recent
few decades: 2017 was the third hottest year on
record and nine of the top ten hottest years occurred
after 2005. Other changes are being seen in the
oceans: oceanic temperatures hit their third highest
temperature ever in 2017 and annual precipitation has
increased globally each decade since 1901.1, 2
In Iowa, similar trends have recently been observed.
Climate change is causing more frequent hot
summers and warm falls, more precipitation in
general, and more frequent hazardous weather
events like heat waves, storms, and floods.3 Iowa
City has experienced multiple, large flood events
in the last decade. Consistent higher temperatures,
combined with precipitation, are leading to increased
soil erosion, and the creation of a more favorable
environment for pathogens and pests that could
ultimately threaten public health. Experts believe
that the results of changing climate will make Iowa
City summers feel more like those traditionally
experienced in our southern states (Figure1).4 Beyond
the next decade, projected annual temperatures
are expected to increase so much that the 30-year
average temperature in the future will fall above the
hottest years of the normal historical temperature
range (Figure 2). Annual
precipitation is expected
to increase 10 percent by
2021 to 2050, and another
5 percent by 2051 to 2080
(Figure 3).5
Scientific consensus is clear:
GHGs generated by human
activity are the primary cause
of climate change. In fact, 97
percent of actively publishing
climate scientists agree that
the acceleration of climate
change over the last several
decades is primarily caused
by increased GHG emissions
due to human activities.6
Decisions on how to power
buildings, move around
cities, transport products,
and manage waste all have
an impact on the amount of
GHGs released. Due to the
impact on global and local
weather patterns, and the
Iowa City: Leading by Example continued
Figure 1. Climate change will be most noticeable in Iowa City’s
summer weather
A STAR Community
In 2016, Iowa City was certified as a 4-STAR
Community by the STAR (Sustainability Tools
for Assessing and Rating Communities)
Community Rating System. The STAR
framework is the nation’s leading certification
program for community-based local
sustainability. The City scored relatively high
in five of the seven categories, but earned
its lowest score in Climate and Energy.
Improvement in this area is further impetus
for this plan. Iowa City is one of five cities
across the state that has achieved a rating,
and according to STAR Communities, it ranks
highest among its Iowa peers.
Introduction
SOURCE:
climate.uu-uno.org
Current
By 2030 Summer
By 2095 Summer
Winter Changes
Over the 21st century
By 2095 Winter
IA
IA
IA
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 11
Iowa City: Leading by Example continued
potential repercussions to the environment, health,
economy and lifestyles, reducing GHG emissions has
become a serious matter, not just for the planet, but for
Iowa City as well.
It is also necessary to acknowledge that changes in
climate are already happening. It is prudent and cost
effective to adapt to them and prepare for additional
changes, such as more extreme heat waves and other
extreme weather events. A resilient city must plan for
these eventualities and take action against the effects
of climate change.
The Path to Climate Action
During the mid-2000s, there was a growing global
awareness of the impact of rising GHG emissions
around the world. The collective voice of concern was
led by both national and international organizations,
with most offering education and training opportunities,
a united voice of support, and a pathway to guide
initial action in communities. Some of the country’s
biggest cities initiated action, influencing smaller
communities to do the same.
In 2007, as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors,
Iowa City signed the Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement, signaling Iowa City’s first commitment to
reducing GHG emissions. A year later, Iowa City joined
the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (CCP),
a program initiated by the International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), (Figure 4). The
basis of participating in the CCP was a commitment
to reaching five milestones: conduct an emissions
inventory, adopt a reduction target, develop a plan,
implement the plan, and monitor progress. In August
2009, Iowa City achieved a major milestone and
became the first city in Iowa to complete a community-
wide GHG inventory. Since then, community-wide
emissions data has been updated each year to track
progress and note trends.
In 2014, the Compact of Mayors was established
at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York
City. The Compact of Mayors7 was, at that point, the
biggest collaboration to accelerate climate action
in cities across the world, and was signed by 447
cities, representing 390,761,581 people worldwide—
over 5 percent of the total global population.8 Iowa
City affirmed its previous commitment by signing
the Compact in February 2016. This commitment
Figure 2. Iowa City temperatures have been rising since the 1950s and are projected to
continue this trend
11
•Early fall freeze •Cold waves •Extreme cold waves The urban heat island effect may account for some of the difference in temperature change between Iowa City and the East Iowa Climate District. Additional study is needed to determine with certainty the impact of the urban heat island effect on changes in summer minimum temperature and the average and minimum temperature during heat waves. 4.6 Climate Projections Iowa City’s climate is projected to change significantly beyond the next decade. The annual temperature is projected to increase so much that the 30-year average temperature in the future will well above the hottest years of the normal historical temperature range. Annual precipitation will increase 10% by 2021-2050 and another 5% by 2051-2080, but, unlike temperature, 30-year average precipitation does not exceed the normal historical range, which is inherently large. Temperature Temperature is projected to increase substantially by the 2050s. By then, on a regular basis annual temperature will far exceed
normal range of the recent climate. The greatest temperature increase is projected to occur in spring and winter, with moderate
increases in summer.
While summer temperature is projected to increase less than spring and winter, year-to-year historical variability of temperature
has been smaller in summer than spring and winter. This means the projected summer increase will cause the summer temperature
to exceed the threshold temperature of the hottest years of normal range of the recent climate, while the spring and winter
temperature remain below this threshold. From this perspective, the projected summer temperature increase is smaller but more
extreme than projected spring and winter temperature increase.
Figure IA5 illustrates the difference in annual temperature in the past and future. The line shows recorded temperatures from
the historic record, and the 1981-2010 average is calculated from recorded temperatures. The 2021-2050 and 2051-2080
averages are calculated from climate models.
Precipitation
Precipitation is projected to increase substantially by the 2050s and beyond, which is consistent with recent change. By 2020-2051,
the projected annual precipitation will be 11% higher than annual precipitation in 1981-2010, which was itself 7% higher than the
1893-2013 annual precipitation. The increase in precipitation will be largest in spring and fall, while the projected increase in
summer precipitation levels off between 2021-2050 and 2051-2080.
SOURCE: Heartland Regional Network of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (2015) Climate in the Heartland
12
established a three-year progressive path to address
mitigation and adaptation. It is the culmination of this
process that led to the development of this document—
The Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
Even before this Plan was conceived, the City
completed two comprehensive community-wide GHG
inventory reports and two municipal inventory reports,
made energy efficiency improvements in a number
of municipal buildings, and invested in high energy
efficiency systems at four facilities. For several years,
City departments and various stakeholders have been
working in unison to put together other plans, projects,
and policies that connect to climate work. Some
examples include the City’s recently adopted Strategic
Plan in March 2018, the Iowa City Bicycle Master
Plan, the City’s ordinance-supported commitment to
increasing social equity, the Johnson County Multi-
Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Johnson
County Long Range Transportation Plan, and the
University of Iowa Sustainability Plan.
Iowa City: Leading by Example continued
Figure 3. Iowa City precipitation has been rising and future projections will continue trending
upward
Introduction
12
Figure IA6 illustrates the difference in annual precipitation in the past and future. The line shows recorded precipitation from
the historic record, and the 1981-2010 average is calculated from recorded precipitation. The 2021-2050 and 2051-2080
averages are calculated from climate models.
SOURCE: Heartland Regional Network of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (2015) Climate in the Heartland
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 13
Figure 4. Timeline showing Iowa City’s commitment to climate work for over a decade
Iowa City: Leading by Example continued
October 2007:
Mayor Wilburn
signs U.S. Mayors’ Cimate
Protection Agreement
November 2014:
Mayor Hayek signs
updated US Climate
Protection
agreement
April 2017:
Iowa City appoints
Steering Committee for
climate plan process
May 2017 –
June 2018:
Development of Iowa
City Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan
February 2016:
Mayor Throgmorton
signs the Compact
of Mayors
March 2016:
Iowa City receives 4
STAR certification but
shows a need to focus
on Climate and Energy
December 2016:
Iowa City sets
emissions reduction
target
February 2008:
City Council agrees
to participate in
“Cities for Climate
Protection
Campaign”
August 2009:
Iowa City completes
GHG Inventory
(1st in Iowa)
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Greenhouse
Gas Inventory
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 15
In 2009, Iowa City completed its first comprehensive
community-wide GHG inventory report. Since 2008,
community-wide emissions data has been compiled
annually with the latest update released in the
summer of 2017 for 2015 emissions produced by all
sectors within the city limits of Iowa City.9 The GPC
protocol was used for the 2015 inventory and all past
years were updated using this methodology.
In 2015, Iowa City generated 987,735 metric tonnes
of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), which already
shows a 23 percent reduction from the estimated
2005 baseline (Figure 5). This achievement was
primarily the result of MidAmerican Energy’s shift
to more renewable wind energy production for
electricity, as well as the increased use of biomass at
the University of Iowa Power Plant.
Figure 6 shows that the bulk of community-wide
emissions in Iowa City result from the fuel used to
generate electricity (42 percent). Natural gas use for
heat and electricity is the second largest source of
community-wide emissions (26 percent), followed
by coal used to operate the University of Iowa Power
Plant (15 percent), and then transportation (15
percent). Waste only accounted for 2 percent of the
community-wide total.
In addition to the community-wide inventory, the
City evaluated the carbon footprint resulting from its
own municipal operations. In 2015, City government
operations generated 44,194 metric tonnes of CO2e,
which is roughly 4.7 percent of the community total
(Figure 7).10 Over half of all the municipal emissions
(54.3 percent) were a direct result of organic waste
decomposing in the Iowa City Landfill, which is
owned and operated by the City but serves all
of Johnson County, while wastewater treatment
generated an additional 15 percent, and buildings
and facilities generated 12 percent.
Figure 5. Iowa City Community total annual emissions, 2005-2015, and emission reduction targets
Figure 6. Iowa City Community CO2e
totals by source, 2015
Figure 7. 2015 Municipal operations
CO2e emissions by sector
0
500000
1000000
1500000
CO
2 e
(
t
o
n
n
e
s
)
Industrial Commercial Residential
UI Power Plant Transportation Waste
2005 Baseline 2025 Target 2050 Target
Electricity:
42%
Coal:
15%
Natural Gas:
26%
Transportation:
15%
Waste: 2%
Note: Solid Waste emissions (54.3 percent) reflect waste that is
produced by all of Johnson County
Solid Waste
Wastewater Treatment
Buildings and
and Facilities
Water Treatment
Vehicle Fleet
Transit Fleet
Streetlights and
Traffic Signals
Airport Facilities
54.3%
15.0%
12.3%
5.7%
5.0%
4.5%
3.0%
0.3%
Iowa City Baseline
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
16
Consumption-Based Emissions Inventory
Feature
In 2017, Iowa City received a grant from the Urban
Sustainability Directors Network to pilot a tool that
has been successfully used in Vancouver, Canada
to create a consumption-based emissions inventory
(CBEI).11 Iowa City is one of the first cities in the U.S.
to look at this more comprehensive way of identifying
the true emissions for its community.
Consumption-based emissions inventories are unique
in that they provide a more complete picture of the
community’s impacts by accounting not only for
locally generated emissions, but also the emissions
associated with the production and transportation of
materials and food consumed by Iowa City residents.
In this way, these inventories can demonstrate the
scale at which consumption-related emissions are
being off-loaded to other jurisdictions, and with this
in mind, Iowa City can incorporate strategies and
actions that maximize global, and not just local,
emission reductions.
The CBEI showed that in 2015, total GHG emissions
for Iowa City were 1,182,000 metric tonnes of
CO2e12 and footprint was 6.7 global hectares (gha)13
per capita. Based on current global population and
biological productivity levels, an average of 1.7 global
hectares is available for each person on the planet,
which means Iowa City residents are consuming per
capita four times more of the earth’s resources than
what is currently available.14 It is important to note
that, in both the CBEI and the standard Community
Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the highest emitting
category is the energy consumed in buildings. A
copy of the Iowa City Consumption Based Inventory
is available at www.icgov.org/climateactionreports.
Water: 0%
Transportation: 14%Food: 9%
Buildings:
56%
Consumables
and Waste: 21%
Figure 8. Consumption-based greenhouse gas
emissions for Iowa City
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Plan
Development
18
With the emission reduction goals of 26 to 28 percent
for the year 2025, and 80 percent by 2050 approved
by the City Council, it becomes necessary to develop
a plan that provides a framework for reducing GHG
emissions while increasing the ability of Iowa City
to prepare for a changing climate. The journey to
develop the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation
Plan (Plan) began in May 2017 when a Steering
Committee was formed to oversee its creation and a
consultant team was selected to assist the City in its
development.
Between June 2017 and June 2018, the Steering
Committee, consisting of 13 members who represent
Iowa City’s diverse community, met as a group eight
times. Members reviewed Iowa City’s GHG emissions
inventory, provided input into the development of a
vision statement, developed actions to meet reduction
goals, crafted strategies for public engagement,
reviewed public input, and offered overall direction.
Steering Committee members also organized into
subcommittees to help tackle various aspects
related to Plan development. For instance, a Draft
Review Subcommittee took on the task of reviewing
versions of the final Plan. The Equity Subcommittee
was formed to review all actions through an equity
lens that ensures the inclusion and input of all
communities and the fair distribution of benefits. An
Outreach Subcommittee was also formed to help
identify opportunities for community outreach and
engagement, and an Adaptation Subcommittee was
tasked with advising the development of actions that
touch upon adaptation issues.
A key element of this Plan was involvement from the
community. On November 2, 2017, the City hosted
Community Meeting #1 with about 100 people in
attendance. During the meeting, attendees voted on
strategies they thought should be included as part
of the Plan. In addition, the City deployed a survey in
early 2018 to gather further input and help the City
understand community perspectives. The survey was
completed by approximately 800 individuals and is
described in a later section of this Plan with the full
survey results in Appendix 3.
The Process
Plan Development
Our Vision
Iowa City will take immediate action to
embrace opportunities, address challenges,
and respond to the realities of climate change.
Our efforts will reach our entire community
using proactive and collaborative strategies,
including community engagement, local
partnerships, and technological advancements
to reduce GHG emissions and spur economic
growth. Our goal is to create a more resilient,
equitable, and livable Iowa City for all.
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 19
As Iowa City’s climate changes, the impacts will
affect some people more adversely than others. The
ability to act quickly during emergency events will
amplify vulnerabilities that currently exist for cost-
burdened households, people with mobility issues, or
households with language barriers. These populations
potentially face additional adversity due to a variety
of pre-existing conditions. According to the Urban
Sustainability Directors Network, “climate risk is a
function of exposure to natural hazards, sensitivity
to these hazards, and the ability to adapt. Systemic
and institutional racism and classism have resulted
in increased exposure and sensitivity to hazards and
a reduced capacity to adapt among people of color,
immigrants, refugees, and lower-income residents,
often referred to as frontline communities.”15
It is important that one result of the Plan is that
it prepares everyone—not just some people—for
successfully coping with and adapting to a changing
climate, while simultaneously reducing our emissions.
The Plan is organized by both simple and complex
actions to take with respect to
buildings, transportation, and
waste, as well as next steps
towards adaptation and the
adoption of a more sustainable
lifestyle.
Climate Change in the
Context of Sustainability
Addressing climate change is
an important part of ensuring a
sustainable future, and while this
Plan is primarily oriented toward
reducing GHG emissions, we
recognize the opportunity to also
address other environmental and
social issues. In addition to those directly associated
with reduced GHG emissions, many of the actions
that will help mitigate climate change also provide
multiple benefits, such as cleaner air and water,
enhanced biodiversity, healthier and more livable
communities, increased economic development, new
job opportunities, and increased social equity. With this
in mind, a plan has been developed that incorporates
sustainability as an overarching consideration for all
actions and ensures that actions recognize resource
efficiency above all, and avoids shifting emissions or
negative impacts outside of Iowa City.
Collaborative Partnerships
We must all work together to achieve our emission
reduction goals. The City’s limited direct influence
on GHG emissions will require the development of
collaborative partnerships with other jurisdictions,
businesses, industry, and community-based
organizations to ensure that all parties are moving
in the same direction and that change is driven from
the top, as well as at the grassroots level. Personal
engagement and contributions from residents will be
critical to ensure success.
Economic Development
The actions that the City will undertake as part of
this Plan were strategically selected because of their
capacity to help build a strong local economy. Our aim
is that these actions will create job opportunities by
supporting existing local businesses and expanding
investment to jobs that relate to the actions discussed in
this document. Many of the proposed actions will also
help reduce costs for our residents and businesses.
For example, avoiding the wasteful use of energy
and other resources will make available more dollars
to be reinvested in the local economy and stabilize
household costs. Finally, we believe that these actions
can attract business and industry investment, more job
opportunities, and new residents to the community by
creating a clean and safe city with modern infrastructure
and a high quality of life that makes the City an even
more desirable place to work and live.
Social Equity
The City of Iowa City is committed to promoting equity
within the community, while leveraging the strength of
Iowa City’s diverse backgrounds and experiences. A
key consideration of the climate action approach is
to ensure that access and participation are inclusive
of all people and that the actions to be implemented
encourage more equitable solutions. Iowa City may
be able to address a variety of social challenges that
we face by reviewing these climate change actions
under a lens of equity and social justice principles. For
example, reduced poverty, improved connectivity of
neighborhoods and public transportation, strengthened
housing infrastructure, decreased economic concerns
Guiding Principles
20 Plan Development
for cost-burdened households, and reductions in
unemployment might be achievable if this community
assesses and mitigates the potential inequities of
these actions. If evaluated and acted upon responsibly,
the City’s actions should help foster a more inclusive,
just, and sustainable Iowa City, while ensuring that all
can share the benefits.
Promote Resilience and Adaptation
It is crucial to recognize the changes that the
community is experiencing and develop risk
management strategies that help prepare for future
local climate impacts. Therefore, a category of actions
is dedicated to adaptation, including preparation for
increased temperatures and more intense rainfall and
storms. Resilient infrastructure plays a big part in our
consideration of adaptation techniques, but the City’s
emergency planning and response protocols, as well
as the individual behaviors of community members,
must be considered. The City’s resilience efforts
should also focus on areas and populations that are
most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The City’s Leadership
As part of our shared collaborative efforts, the City
will lead the way by setting an example in reducing
GHG emissions from its own operations, as well
as by facilitating action within the community. By
leveraging existing programs and focusing on high-
priority initiatives, we will not only be able to reduce
our emissions, but also conserve valuable resources
such as energy and water, while saving money and
promoting a culture of action. Beyond initiatives
undertaken within our geographical limits, Iowa City
is committed to continued leadership in our state and
country by supporting initiatives that will result in a
more sustainable world for all.
Moving Forward
This Plan serves as a roadmap for how Iowa City will
reduce GHG emissions and create a healthier, cleaner,
and more sustainable community that is equipped to
handle climate impacts already observed in Iowa City.
Thirty-five actions have been identified as those that
will help Iowa City reach its emission reduction goals.
In selecting these actions, the plan development team
first looked at the quantity and source of the City’s
emissions by evaluating the most recent community-
wide inventories. Then, numerous emission-reduction
ideas were evaluated for their feasibility, cost-
effectiveness, ease of implementation, and the extent
to which each action contributed co-benefits related
to health, equity, economic development, and overall
quality of life. In addition, local assets and available
resources were identified to understand how they
assist with implementation. Best practices and
observation of efforts with proven success in other
cities in the U.S. and around the world were analyzed
for their applicability given the context of our built
environment, local culture, and existing policies. Finally,
the actions presented in this plan were arrived at with
the input of the consultant team, City staff, and the
Steering Committee.
An important consideration in the development of
the actions was the recognition of the noteworthy
commitments made by the City’s electricity service
providers and the University of Iowa to shift a
significant portion of electricity generation to renewable
energy sources. Given that electricity is the largest
source of Iowa City’s emissions (42 percent),
MidAmerican’s commitment to 100 percent renewable
electrical energy by the end of 2020 will significantly
reduce emissions and move Iowa City closer towards
the goal; however, additional actions to reduce
emissions will be required. With a decarbonized
source of electricity, it makes sense for Iowa City
residents to pursue actions that will result in additional
electrification of systems, such as transitioning from
gas-powered water heating to electric heat sources.
In addition, the City needs to focus attention on
other significant sources of emissions, such as
transportation and natural gas consumption. As a
result, several actions and objectives will address
these sectors in a targeted way.
Some of the actions presented in this Plan directly
address municipal operations through “lead by
example” initiatives. These actions include increasing
the efficiency of public buildings, exploring ways to
make water and wastewater operations less energy-
intensive, greening the City’s municipal fleet by
replacing gasoline-fuel vehicles with cleaner options
or improving fuel efficiency, and exploring options
for recovery and use of methane generated by the
landfill and the wastewater facility. The City has direct
control over less than 5 percent of the total community
emissions, therefore it is important to note that other
actions were developed to establish cooperative
partnerships to pursue multi-sector solutions.
Ultimately, the Plan presents a broad range of actions,
some of which are specific and others which require
further investigation; in some cases, a funding source
must be identified. These actions cover a variety of
implementation approaches that include partnership
building, policy changes, education and awareness,
pilot projects, lifestyle changes, and development of
new programs.
Guiding Principles continued
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 21
Actions are organized by the following areas that represent where the community can make an impact, while recognizing that some actions cut across sectors to deliver
multiple benefits:
Each of these areas is described in a separate section with background information included on the current status of the issue and Iowa City’s efforts. In the beginning of
each section, there is a short list of equity considerations that should be reflected upon and addressed during the ongoing implementation of each action. Further, many
actions tend to offer additional benefits to Iowa Citians. These co-benefits are highlighted by the following icons in each section:
In addition, each individual action is coded to describe whether action is needed at home, at work, at the government level, or a combination of these. This icon signals to
residents, businesses, and community-based organizations where they can take action and what programs, education, and support the City may lead. At the end of each
section, readers will also find suggestions for individual action and participation. Finally, the City has developed a Climate Action Toolkit as a companion to the Plan. The
Toolkit includes information, materials, checklists, and links to several valuable resources, and serves as a resource guide to inspire residents, businesses, schools, and
community-based organizations to take an active role in the shared objective of reducing the City’s GHG emissions. The Toolkit can be found online at www.icgov.org/
climateaction.
While it is not possible to predict the future with certainty, the information that is available on technology improvements and policy trends has been used to attempt to look
beyond the initial emissions reduction goal of 2025 and to identify what additional actions will be needed to reach the more aggressive 2050 goals.
Buildings Transportation Waste Adaptation Sustainable Lifestyle
Taking Action: How to Use This Plan
Reduced costs Improved health Cleaner
environment
Job growth
opportunities
Resilience/ability
to adapt
Increased
engagement/
awareness
$$$$$$
22
The table below is a snapshot of the 35 actions described in this plan. An expanded table that includes implementation period, proposed lead agency, and co-benefits can
be found in Appendix 2. Actions marked with a star () are high priority action items that are crucial to either reaching the City’s emissions goal and/or have the ability to
incentivize the widespread behavior change that is necessary to facilitate and support long term action, and thus imperative to reaching emissions reduction targets.
Summary of Actions
Plan Development
Action
Buildings
Increase energy efficiency in residences
Increase energy efficiency in businesses
Increase energy efficiency in new buildings
Increase on-site renewable energy systems and electrification
Initiate community solar projects1
Support energy benchmarking tools
Continue to increase energy efficiency in City-owned buildings2
Transportation
Increase use of public transit systems
Embrace electric vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, and other
emerging technologies
Increase bicycle and pedestrian transportation
Increase compact and contiguous development
Increase employee commuter options
Manage parking options
Reduce the City’s vehicle emissions footprint2
Sector(s)
Home Work Government
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Home Work Government
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Home Work Government
Cost
$-$$$
$-$$$
$
$$
$$$
$
$-$$$
Local GHG
Impact
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
$-$$$
$$
$
$$
$
$$
$$
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 23
Summary of Actions continued
Action
Waste
Increase recycling at multi-family properties
Increase composting of organics
Reduce waste at the source
Establish partnerships to divert construction waste from the Landfill
Reduce waste at City facilities2
Create a comprehensive waste management plan
Take action on a study to efficiently capture and use methane from
wastewater operations
Take action on a feasibility study on energy generation from
landfill methane
Adaptation
Conduct a vulnerable populations asset mapping exercise
Develop communications and outreach plan for
vulnerable populations
Analyze climate-related public health impacts in Iowa City
Coordinate extreme weather preparedness planning with
local agencies
Assess stormwater management issues at neighborhood scale and
integrate into capital planning process while encouraging action on
private property
Expand Iowa City’s tree canopy
Home Work Government
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Home Work Government
Home Work Government
Sector(s)Cost
$
$
$
$$
$
$
$
$$$
Local GHG
Impact
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
$
$
$
$
$
$$
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24
Summary of Actions continued
Action
Sustainable Lifestyle
Encourage a plant-rich diet3
Expand community gardens and access to healthy, local foods
Encourage the purchase of local products and responsible purchasing
Create funding mechanisms to support community-wide climate action
Incorporate this Climate Plan into the City’s
sustainability communications
Initiate a green recognition program
Develop internal City sustainability operations guide
Sector(s)Cost
$
$$
$
$$$
$
$
$
Local GHG
Impact
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
Table notes and definitions:
Action: Description of proposed strategy or action.
Sector: The type of building or individual where the action can be implemented; residential, business or city government
Cost: The comparative cost of implementing each action on a scale of $ through $$$. Note that the costs can be borne by a variety of stakeholders.
Impact: The comparative emissions impact on Iowa City emissions that result from the implementation of each action on a scale of * through *** rating. Impact ratings are
ranked in their ability to reduce Iowa City GHG emissions based on the 2015 Iowa City Community-wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
1. Iowa City’s electricity source will be 100 percent renewable; therefore, the actual emissions reduction for community solar activities will be minimal.
2. The impact of city government buildings, vehicle fleet, and waste reduction activities as separate actions are minimal on Iowa City’s community-wide emissions profile,
although the City strongly believes in leading by example and taking action, just like others in the community. The incremental actions of each individual person, business,
and organization will allow us to achieve our overall community-wide targets.
3. While the immediate impact on emissions in Iowa City may be relatively small, the global impacts related to eating more plants and less meat result in a very
high impact.
Plan Development
Home Work Government
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City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 25
Below are two charts that depict how the fully implemented actions will result
in Iowa City reaching its emissions reduction goals in 2025 and 2050. On both
charts, Iowa City’s baseline emissions from 2015 are shown on the left, in blue.
On the far right is the emissions reduction target for said year (2025 or 2050),
in green. On the first chart, it was necessary to also account for the incremental
growth in emissions through 2025, which is represented by the second blue block.
Finally, all of the potential for emissions reductions are shown in red. Iowa City is
very close to its 2025 goal now, largely due to MidAmerican’s strong commitment
to renewable electricity—the first red block. The second red block represents the
University of Iowa’s power plant fuel switch. Very incremental actions from Buildings,
Transportation, and Waste will be required to make the final push to meet the 2025
goal.
It is important to note that most cities across America do not have the boost that the
MidAmerican and UI’s commitments provide. This is a huge advantage for Iowa City.
However, despite the magnitude of these renewable energy commitments, relying on
these alone is not enough to help Iowa City reach its deeper emission goals in 2050.
Looking further out, Iowa City can also reach its goals to reduce emissions by 80
percent as shown in the 2050 chart. Like the last chart, all the emissions reductions
are in red. While we see the influence of MidAmerican, and the University of Iowa,
there must be a push to implement actions outlined in this plan for Iowa City to reach
its ambitious but achievable emissions reduction targets.
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
1,600,000
Base
l
i
n
e
E
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
s
BAU
G
r
o
w
t
h
0 GH
G
/
M
i
d
A
1
0
0
%
R
e
n
e
w
UI Po
w
e
r
P
l
a
n
t
F
u
e
l
S
w
i
t
c
h
Build
i
n
g
s
Trans
p
o
r
t
a
t
i
o
n
Waste Total
1,285,168
593,752
199,712
(800,149)
(53,125) (17,532) (4,650) (15,672)
Increase
Decrease
Total
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
1,600,000
1,800,000
2,000,000
Basel
i
n
e
E
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
s
BAU
G
r
o
w
t
h
0 GH
G
/
M
i
d
A
1
0
0
%
R
e
n
e
w
UI Po
w
e
r
P
l
a
n
t
F
u
e
l
S
w
i
t
c
h
Buildi
n
g
s
Trans
p
o
r
t
a
t
i
o
n
Waste Total
1,285,168
257,384
544,712
(1,022,107)
(241,167)
(174,449)
(112,806)
(21,967)
Increase
Decrease
Total
Figure 9A. 2025 GHG Emissions MTC02e Figure 9B. 2050 GHG Emissions MTC02e
Meeting our Targets
26
Partners’ Commitments to Renewable Energy
The electricity sector is the greatest contributor to
GHG emissions. Because of this, one of the most
critical strategies to help Iowa City meet its goals
is the generation of electricity from carbon-free
or less carbon-intensive fuel sources. Thankfully,
the electric service providers and the University
of Iowa have seen the opportunity and have
made considerable commitments to increase
the generation of renewable energy and the
displacement of carbon-based fuels.
MidAmerican Energy’s vision is to produce enough
renewable electricity each year to equal 100
percent of its Iowa customers’ usage. On May 30,
2018, MidAmerican filed a proposal with the Iowa
Utilities Board for the Wind XII project, which would
include up to 591 megawatts of additional wind
generation. If approved by the Iowa Utilities Board,
MidAmerican projects its annual renewable energy
generation, as calculated under the MidAmerican
Energy GreenAdvantage® program, to exceed 100
percent of Iowa retail customers’ annual energy
usage in 2021, the first full year all of Wind XII is in
service.16 MidAmerican’s GreenAdvantage® program
is a verification of the amount of renewable energy
they provide to customers on an annual basis. The
program is based on rules adopted by the Iowa
Utilities Board to establish a recognizable and
trusted process for verification of the percentage
of renewable energy a utility provides on an
annual basis. Each year, MidAmerican plans to
file for verification of its renewable percentage and
communicate that percentage to customers for
them to use in meeting their sustainability goals.
• While Eastern Iowa Light and Power provides
a small portion (0.5 percent) of purchased
electricity to Iowa City, they also state that
almost 60 percent of their sources of energy
are carbon-free with 24.8 percent wind/hydro
and 34.5 percent nuclear energy supplying
their electrical generation. Eastern Iowa Light
and Power has also made plans for adding
some solar installments in the next few years.
• The University of Iowa, through sustainability
goals established in its 2020 Vision, has been
working for several years to displace coal with
biomass fuel sources in its solid fuel boilers at
their main power plant. Due to the success of
these efforts, in February 2017, the University
committed to eliminating coal from its fuel
portfolio by 2025.
Plan Development
Taking Action: Buildings
28
Equity Considerations:
• Often, families that can least afford high-cost utility
bills live in properties that are not energy efficient.
These households may lack the ability to prioritize
or pay for energy efficiency improvements or
access renewable energy options.17
• Renters of multi-family housing do not have the
same ability to implement and gain the benefits of
energy efficiency as owners and residents of other
forms of housing.
Energy is something used every day, often without
thinking about it. We turn on the light switch and
expect lights to turn on. We heat and cool our homes,
only pausing to think about what this means for our
electricity or gas bill at the end of the month. Increased
use of electric appliances and media/communications
devices has drastically contributed to the rise in energy
consumption within our buildings. We are plugged in
now more than ever before with multiple televisions,
small appliances, mobile phones, tablets, and
computers that have significantly impacted how much
energy we use on a daily basis.
Iowa City estimates that energy consumption in
buildings accounts for 68 percent of community-
wide emissions, or about 676,202 metric tonnes of
Targets:
• Existing Buildings: Retrofit 10 percent of all buildings by 2025 and 90 percent by 2050.
• New Buildings: Achieve 45 to 48 percent energy savings in new buildings due to code enforcement by 2025 and 80 percent energy savings by 2050
due to code enforcement and phased-in approach to net zero energy policies.
• Renewable Energy: Transition 3 percent of buildings with natural gas to high efficiency electrical heat, powered through low-carbon electricity
sources by 2025 and 25 percent by 2050.
Background
Taking Action: Buildings
$
$
Co-Benefits:
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 29
CO2e, making this the largest source of emissions.
Individually, about 42 percent of emissions
(419,757 metric tonnes CO2e) come from electricity
consumption and 26 percent (256,445 metric tonnes
CO2e) from natural gas consumption. Reducing
energy consumption in buildings is critical to Iowa
City’s ability to achieve its goal of reducing emissions
by 80 percent by 2050. Reduction takes form in two
basic ways: using less energy overall through energy
efficiency improvements and transitioning from fossil
fuels to renewable energy sources, especially moving
away from natural gas used in heating.
Implementing energy efficiency improvements and
shifting our energy sources from natural gas to
renewable energy, if done properly, can provide a
variety of added benefits, including reduced cost,
improved occupant comfort and productivity, and
cleaner air and water. Energy efficiency measures
can also help utilities avoid or delay the need for
investment in new generation, transmission, and
distribution capacity. This in turn helps keep electricity
rates low.
Reducing energy consumption will require action on
all fronts, meaning that reductions will need to come
from existing buildings—most of which will still be
standing in 2050—as well as new buildings. Tackling
reductions in electricity and especially natural gas,
which is used for space heating and hot water heating,
is an important part of this plan. Finally, it will take
participation from all building sectors, the involvement
of many stakeholders with different roles, identification
and facilitation of financial partners and incentives,
and coordination and leadership by the City to
comprehensively tackle inefficient energy use.
Older buildings typically have more opportunities
for efficiency improvements compared to newer
buildings due to changes in construction standards
over time and the more recent inclusion of energy
efficiency requirements in building codes. Older
buildings are also more likely to have less efficient
heating and cooling, lighting, and other systems in
use. New construction is required to meet certain
building and energy codes, and doing so when it is
designed and built is far cheaper than retrofit work
later. The City’s current energy code meets the energy
efficiency requirements laid out in the International
Code Council’s (ICC) model 2012 International Energy
Conservation Code (IECC). Energy codes represent
the first line of defense for assuring energy efficiency
in new buildings, but code is only as strong as its
enforcement. While these codes are efficient, some
cities are examining net zero energy goals in which
new buildings generate enough renewable energy
onsite to handle the building’s consumption needs.
The City’s role in reducing energy-related emissions
is two-pronged. First, the City will lead by example
Energy Efficiency Programs
Currently, both MidAmerican Energy and
Eastern Iowa Light and Power offer numerous
energy efficiency upgrade incentives to
residential and commercial properties,
and some of the City’s existing home loan
programs include energy efficiency measures.
The State of Iowa also provides coordinating
information on a variety of energy efficiency
and renewable energy incentives as well.
In May 2018, the State passed bill SF2311
which may result in significant changes
for energy efficiency programs in Iowa by
imposing a spending cap on efficiency
programs by investor-owned utilities, while
simultaneously allowing customers to opt out
of paying for these programs.18 While these
incentive-based efficiency programs will still
play a vital role in Iowa City’s implementation
efforts related to energy efficiency, the City will
need to identify new partners who can offer
other kinds of incentives for energy efficiency
improvements.
Background continued
30
in reducing consumption and increasing reliance
on renewable energy sources in its buildings. Most
energy efficiency work to-date in City facilities includes
installing efficient indoor and outdoor lighting and
replacing older, inefficient heating and cooling
systems. Iowa City employs high efficiency ground-
source heat pumps for heating and cooling in four
buildings: the Animal Care and Adoption Center,
East Side Recycling Center, Fire Station #2, and
Fire Station #4. Ground-sourced heat pumps have
two important advantages: they do not utilize natural
gas for cold-season heating, and they are more
efficient than traditional air conditioning systems. In
addition, whenever new municipal buildings or major
renovations to existing City properties are in the
development process, there is an assessment of the
viability of renewable energy as means to reduce the
building’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Second, the City will work to facilitate the same
standards for building owners and operators across
the community. In a January 2018 Iowa City survey, 61
and 64 percent of the approximately 800 respondents
indicated they would like to learn more about energy
efficiency and renewable energy in buildings. These
two choices were clear favorites among other topics of
waste and transportation.
The seven building-related actions identified as part of
this Plan build upon past progress, while leveraging
existing programs, initiatives, and infrastructure.
Together, these actions represent the largest
opportunity for reducing emissions in Iowa City.
Background continued
The U.S. Department of Energy
defines a net-zero building as
one that “produces enough
renewable energy to meet its
own annual energy consumption
requirements, thereby reducing
the use of non-renewable
energy in the building sector.
This definition also applies to
campuses, (energy) portfolios,
and communities.”
What is Net-Zero?
Taking Action: Buildings
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 31
1.1 Increase Energy Efficiency
in Residences
Residents can reduce energy consumption in
homes across Iowa City—from single family
homes to apartments in multi-family buildings—
through a more comprehensive approach
to energy efficiency, including air sealing
and insulation, efficient heating and cooling
equipment, replacement of gas appliances with
electric, and “quick fixes” like programmable
thermostats, efficient lighting, and smart power
strips. Building owners and renters can leverage
existing programs to obtain energy audits that
identify energy efficiency opportunities, and
also to help finance the cost of implementation,
such as those offered by MidAmerican Energy
and Eastern Iowa Light and Power. The City will
also work to align existing City loan programs
to include energy efficiency where it is not
specifically mentioned already, and identify
external partners to develop appropriate
additional outreach and financial mechanisms
that facilitate large-scale participation. Residents
can also use several free tools from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) such
as the ENERGY STAR® Home Advisor tool for
single family homes, or ENERGY STAR® Portfolio
Manager for multifamily buildings.
1.2 Increase Energy Efficiency
in Businesses
Commercial and industrial energy efficiency and
conservation measures reduce consumption
while lowering operating costs and improving
occupancy comfort for employees. For broad
community-wide adoption, business owners
of all sizes can engage in a comprehensive
approach that focuses on the most cost-effective
improvements. This might include addressing
efficiency improvements in production systems,
heating and cooling, office/other equipment,
lighting, and installation of sensors. Business
owners can use existing incentives available from
utilities and the State, as well as the benefits of
participating in a green recognition program.
In some instances, external partners like local
banks and lending institutions, builders, or home
improvement stores can create opportunities
for businesses of all sizes with appropriate
incentives that encourage small “mom and pop”
shop business owners and large businesses to
make energy efficiency investments. The City
will coordinate with local and regional business
support organizations to engage businesses
on the benefits of energy efficiency and the
available tools and incentives to implement these
improvements.
Actions
Water is a finite resource, and both its
supply and treatment result in significant
energy costs. Addressing water efficiency
and conservation in homes and businesses
at the same time Iowa City addresses
energy efficiency makes good sense in the
perspective of a comprehensive sustainability
approach. Efficiency options that can be
adopted quickly and fairly inexpensively
include faucet aerators and low flow
showerheads and toilets which reduce water
consumption. Water conservation applies to
behaviors and habits, such as taking a five-
minute shower versus a longer one, using
minimal water while brushing one’s teeth, or
relying on native landscaping that requires
little or no irrigation.
The Relationship Between
Energy and Water
32
1.3 Increase Energy Efficiency in
New Buildings
Iowa City is one of the fastest growing cities in the
state, and any new buildings should be as efficient
as possible. Iowa City’s current code incorporates
the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code
(IECC), and contractors are required to submit
proof of having met these requirements when
submitting initial development plans. With the
next code update scheduled for January 2019,
the City will collaboratively work with all relevant
stakeholders to supplement enforcement of the
energy code through inspections and/or testing
during construction and before occupancy.
Further, the City will assess the need for additional
staff training, additional staff, and work to build
rapport with builders and developers by offering
occasional training on key code-specific or
general energy efficiency topics to builders and
developers. Looking to 2050, the City, along with
the business community and developers should
investigate opportunities for the creation of a
net-zero energy plan that phases in requirements
for buildings to produce on-site renewable energy
and meet net-zero standards using a
phased-in approach.
1.4 Increase On-Site Renewable Energy
Systems and Electrification
Renewable energy is becoming more prominent across the country’s
landscape. It provides the benefit of reducing emissions, and if properly
implemented, it lowers costs to power and heat our homes and businesses.
As mentioned previously, MidAmerican Energy’s commitment to renewable
energy production will likely mean that in the future, the City’s electricity
consumption will be primarily produced from renewable energy. Thus, the
focus within Iowa City for GHG reduction is thermal decarbonization (replacing
and reducing natural gas consumption).
The City and its partners will engage the entire community around
decarbonization by initiating a general public education and awareness
campaign on the topic first, with some efforts targeted towards residential
home or building owners and others toward business owners. Topics
will include the renewable energy landscape in Iowa City, as well as the
importance of reducing natural gas usage, while dispelling common myths
about electrification of household activities like cooking and laundry. Next,
the City will conduct a study of its own buildings that examines electrification
opportunities related to space heating and hot water heating, two primary
uses of natural gas in buildings. Focus areas of this study will include
ground-source heat pump systems, air source heat pumps, and heat pump
water heaters. Finally, this study should be expanded to community-wide
renewable energy opportunities. The City currently has ground-source heat
pump systems (sometimes referred to as geothermal) in four of its buildings.
These systems have two advantages. They are highly efficient, particularly
for summertime cooling. And they provide both heating and cooling using
electricity; therefore, tapping into the increasingly renewable grid electricity
available to Iowa City and avoiding the use of natural gas for cold season
heating. Iowa City’s municipal buildings with ground-source heat pumps have
experienced even greater efficiencies
than forecasted.
Actions continued
Taking Action: Buildings
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 33
Often, there is concern that new requirements
will create unintended barriers to affordable
housing efforts. However, most costs at the
time of construction are minimal, and Iowa
City will work with community partners and
consider solutions that mitigate barriers and
significant costs for developers if a new
code is adopted. While the construction
costs may be incremental, the benefits of
energy efficiency have a long life; residents
experience lower energy bills and increased
comfort, and in the instance of rental
buildings, this translates into tenant retention
and reduced operating costs in common
areas.
1.5 Initiate Community
Solar Projects
Although Iowa City’s electricity will soon be
predominately renewable, community solar could
help offset some of the remaining emissions
associated with building energy use. Community
solar installations consist of off-site arrays of
solar panels whose electricity can be shared
by more than one household (or other user)
through a subscription process. This process
allows subscribers to “tap in” to the benefits of
solar energy while removing a host of common
barriers associated with on-site installation,
such as initial capital costs, viability of on-site
systems, restrictions for multifamily buildings, and
ownership status. For this action, the City will seek
to collaborate with MidAmerican Energy and other
existing community solar experts and investors to
encourage one or several pilot community solar
projects in Iowa City that will result in expanding
access to the benefits of solar renewable energy
to our neighborhoods. With partners in place, the
City will investigate the appropriate model(s), seek
out funding and host institutions, and help them
recruit subscribers. In addition to the inherent
equitable nature of community solar projects,
the City can consider locating its first project in
a neighborhood facing other unique challenges
with an emphasis on the equitable distribution of
benefits across that community.
1.6 Support Energy
Benchmarking Tools
Energy benchmarking allows buildings owners
to take a comprehensive look at how their
building(s) consume energy over a period of time,
usually at least one year or more. When using a
benchmarking approach, such as the free tool
ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, owners can
compare usage against similar building types
to gauge performance and highlight areas for
improvement that can result in reduced energy
consumption and operating costs. For single
family homes, the ENERGY STAR® Home Advisor
tool assesses metrics and provides customized
energy recommendations. Iowa City will promote
the value of energy benchmarking as a tool that
leads to a comprehensive understanding of one’s
energy consumption and an excellent starting
point for taking control of energy costs; what is
not measured cannot be managed. The City will
partner with business and developer groups to
identify opportunities to incentivize benchmarking,
commissioning/retro-commissioning, and other
tools aimed at tracking energy consumption and
recognizing high-performing buildings.
Actions continued
Energy Efficiency and
Affordable Housing
34
1.7 Continue to Increase Energy
Efficiency in City-Owned Buildings
Iowa City has been tracking energy consumption
in its portfolio of buildings since 2008 and will
continue to identify opportunities for energy
improvements. The City will establish a capital
plan to continue installing targeted energy
efficiency improvements that achieve the
broadest impact. These are currently identified as
consisting primarily of HVAC (heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning) system improvements.
Although budget priorities led to deferred
maintenance in the last few years, the City is
actively pursuing improvements to these systems,
as well as LED lighting improvements and other
non-building projects like LED street lights.
At Home:
• Schedule an energy audit at home.
• Undertake projects to reduce energy use,
such as air sealing, insulating your home,
and installing energy efficient appliances.
• Make it a habit to turn off lights, unplug
equipment when not in use, and set the
thermostat to the right level.
• Consider installing solar hot water heaters
or ground-source heat pumps.
• Help start a community solar project.
• Take advantage of existing residential
financial incentives to undertake many of
these ideas.
At Work:
• Schedule an energy audit of your business.
• Undertake projects to reduce energy
use, such as air sealing, insulating, and
installing energy efficient appliances.
• Make it a habit to turn off lights, unplug
equipment when not in use, and set the
thermostat to the right level.
• Participate in a green certification program.
• Take advantage of existing commercial
financial incentives to undertake many of
these ideas.
• Benchmark energy use by using
ENERGYSTAR® Portfolio Manager.
Check out the Community Action Toolkit for more information at www.iowa-city.org/climateaction.
How to Contribute
Actions continued
Taking Action: Buildings
Photo credit: Neumann Monson Architects
Taking Action: Transportation
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 36
Equity Considerations:
• Some neighborhoods in Iowa City are not
as well-connected as others, putting a strain
on households that need to walk longer
distances to access public transit and other
public services.
• Affordable and reliable mobility choices
should be made available for people with
special transportation needs, including
persons with disabilities, persons with reduced
mobility, and low-income populations.
• Increased opportunities and connectivity for
active transportation can help address health
disparities for some populations.
Transportation is a critical piece of urban and
suburban living, and every day Iowa Citians travel
to a variety of places to perform their daily routines.
The way communities develop over time, referred to
as land use, has a direct impact on transportation.
Communities with “mixed use development”
patterns where stores and other destination points
are intermingled with housing, often result in more
walkable neighborhoods, friendlier environments for
bikes, and fewer single destination trips. The quality
of a community’s transportation system has a big
impact on quality of life; levels of service, design,
operations, and routing determine whether people
get to their destinations on time and with little effort,
experience inconveniences, or become unable to
reach their destinations. An ideal transit system should
be convenient, reliable, and accessible, getting people
where they need to go when they need to go there,
Targets:
• By 2050, replace 55 percent of vehicle trips with sustainable transportation options, such as public transportation, bicycle, pedestrian, or
clean vehicles.
• Convert 50 percent of the municipal vehicle fleet to cleaner fuel vehicles.
• Increase community-wide adoption of electric and alternative fuel vehicles.
Background
Taking Action: Transportation
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and should also offer options for those who cannot
afford, or choose not to own a personal vehicle. With
these factors in mind, a community can be envisioned
where people of all ages and abilities have access
to comfortable, safe, and connected multimodal
transportation networks that make life easier and
more enjoyable.
Iowa City’s transportation sector is responsible for 15
percent of the community’s emissions, so choices
related to transportation can have a big impact upon
air quality and GHG emissions. With this in mind,
Iowa City must work to shift away from conventional
carbon-intensive fuels and choose greener options,
while also being mindful of future land use decisions
that impact transportation choices. To make progress
on emission reduction goals, the Iowa City community
must collectively aim to shift 50 percent of trips from
conventional personal vehicles to other alternatives
that include active transit, such as walking and cycling,
public transportation, cars and buses powered by
electricity or cleaner fuels, and even eliminating certain
trips. For municipal government, this means focusing
on improving infrastructure and taking an approach
to community development that looks at connecting
the transit system to jobs and critical services and
developing transit-oriented neighborhoods.
In recent years, Iowa City has progressed by
making concerted efforts to improve infrastructure
that supports alternative transportation options. For
example, Iowa City has over 37 miles of shared-use
bicycle paths,19 nearly 52 miles of additional sidepaths
into neighborhoods,20 and six miles of dedicated
bicycle lanes.21 In 2017, Iowa City adopted a Bicycle
Master Plan and efforts are underway to develop a
bike share program in partnership with the University
of Iowa. To encourage walking, the City operates
Background continued
Alternative options for getting to work
Data from the 2015 American Community Survey
shows that 66 percent of people who live in
Iowa City commute to work using their personal
vehicles, and of those, 57 percent drive alone,
while 9 percent carpool. As shown in Figure 10,
a further 10 percent of commuters use public
transportation and almost 20 percent walk or bike
to work. Use of active transportation has increased
in recent years: 14 percent more people walked to
work in 2015 compared to 2011; 21 percent more
people rode bikes over the same time period, and
the number of residents taking transit increased by
11 percent.22
While relying on single-occupancy vehicles for
transportation may be convenient to some, the
reality is that this approach creates pressures
on communities and is unsustainable. As more
vehicles hit the roads, not only are there more
GHG and other pollutant emissions released
into the air, but traffic congestion increases,
and the need to dedicate space for parking
and build additional roads strains Iowa City.
This community must also recognize that not all
people have access to personal vehicles, and
therefore, alternatives must be available to ensure
equitable opportunities for all.
More alternatives are also needed to support inter-
city travel. Bus service routes will be introduced
in 2018 by the East Central Iowa Council of
Governments (ECICOG). A commuter study
also recognized commuter rail as an option for
consideration in the future.23
Figure 10. Iowa Citians commute mostly by
car, then walking and public transportation
SOURCE: Future Forward 2045 Long Range
Transportation Plan; Data from American Community
Survey, 2015
Car: 66%
Public
transportation:
10%
Walking:
16%
Bicycling: 4%
Working from
home: 4%
Taxi: 1%
Taking Action: Transportation
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 38
many recreational programs and walking trails, and
adopted the Iowa City and Pedestrian Mall Streetscape
Plan in 2014 to guide future utility and streetscape
investments. Construction for several downtown
streetscape projects began with a focus on enhanced
accessibility and green infrastructure improvements.24
Finally, Iowa City’s public transportation system
has added new routes, and the Metropolitan
Planning Organization of Johnson County, the local
transportation planning organization, has adopted
a long-range transportation plan that incorporates
an increased focus on multi-modal and active
transportation.
The seven transportation-related actions identified
as part of this Plan will build upon past progress
made while leveraging existing programs,
initiatives, and infrastructure. Emissions associated
with transportation are the second highest
source of emissions in Iowa City’s profile after
energy consumption in buildings, thus making
implementation of these actions a priority in order for
the City to reach its emissions reduction goal.
t
With 7.1 million rides completed in 2015, the
Iowa City Metro Area ranks 11th in the nation for
the highest number of bus rides per capita at 66
rides. Iowa City Transit operates 27 bus routes
across the City and University Heights using
modern buses that include bike racks on standard
route service.25
All routes originate and terminate in the central
downtown transit interchange on Washington
Street, with service offered Monday through
Saturday, and special night schedules offered
on certain routes. Iowa City Transit also provides
paratransit services to senior adults and persons
with disabilities who are unable to use the regular
bus service.26 In addition, the University of Iowa
CAMBUS offers a free, fixed-route public transit
service that provides frequent intercampus
transportation for students, faculty, staff, and the
general public.
A recent report by the American Public
Transportation Association found that a drastic
decline in ridership has been taking place on
major public transit systems in cities nationwide
with a 4.1 percent decline in ridership due, in part,
to lower gas prices. Iowa City has not escaped
this trend. Ridership has decreased in recent
years as a result of detours and reroutes due to
construction, mild winters, and lower gas prices.
This decrease in ridership has impacted the
City’s progress towards cutting GHG emissions;
between 2005 and 2015 emissions derived from
transportation increased by 5 percent.
Iowa City’s Public Transit System
Background continued
Figure 11. Metro Area Transit services
includes routes in Iowa City, Coralville and
the University’s transit system
SOURCE: Future Forward 2045 Long Range
Transportation Plan
39
2.1 Increase Use of Public
Transit Systems
One of the main ways individuals can contribute
to lowering emissions is by electing to take public
transit when it is available. To make public transit
a more viable possibility, the City needs to offer
bus service routes and hours of operation that
meet riders’ wants and needs. The City will be
completing a transit route study to understand
options for improvement of the current public
transportation system. Actions to be undertaken
also include identifying customer-centric initiatives,
such as increasing the effectiveness of an
intelligent transportation system that provides real-
time arrival information to riders—and identifying
other flexible and emerging technologies that
make riding public transit easier and more
convenient.
2.2 Embrace Electric Vehicles, Alternative Fuel
Vehicles, and Other Emerging Technologies
Iowa City will look at policies that support the expansion
of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the
City, starting with the development of an electric vehicle
readiness plan to determine infrastructure upgrades
and policy modifications that need to occur to facilitate
this expansion. The City will also explore community
opportunities offering financial incentives to residents
and businesses who purchase clean vehicles, including
potential subsidies for buying or leasing an electric
vehicle and at-home charging stations, and other potential
incentives. Through education and outreach, the City can
further encourage residents to transition their personal
vehicles to cleaner technologies and explore partnership
opportunities with charging station manufacturers that
have leasing programs available for municipalities.
Businesses with vehicle fleets should consider a multi-
pronged approach that examines opportunities for
replacement of gasoline and diesel vehicles with cleaner
fuel alternatives, the importance of fleet maintenance
for efficient operation, establishment of vehicle idling
protocols, efficient routing, and review of transportation
operations, such as loading practices. Understanding
that automobile technologies are rapidly changing,
the City will undertake planning efforts to understand
and accommodate emerging technologies as they
become market-ready, including connected vehicles that
communicate with the driver, other vehicles, and roadside
infrastructure, and fully autonomous vehicles that are self-
driving.
2.3 Increase Bicycle and
Pedestrian Transportation
Residents are encouraged to replace trips,
when possible, with active transportation
options such as walking and biking.
Businesses can support this action
by offering programs and facilities—for
example, bike storage and showers—that
further encourage active transportation.
To support the City’s commitment to
designing, building, and maintaining
public streets that accommodate people
of all ages and abilities regardless of their
mode of travel,27 Iowa City will continue
to advance infrastructure that supports
bicycle and pedestrian transportation.
This includes continuing to work towards
the implementation of the bike sharing
program, addressing secure bike storage
and parking, implementing priority projects
and actions identified in the Bicycle
Master Plan28 to increase the number
and connectivity of safe bike routes,
continuing to implement priority projects
identified in the City and Pedestrian Mall
Streetscape Plan,29 and promoting walkable
neighborhoods. These actions will also
help to provide “last mile solutions” so
that individuals have alternative options for
making the final leg of their travels on foot
or by bike.
Actions
Taking Action: Transportation
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 40
2.5 Increase Employee
Commuter Options
Studies have shown that offering commuting
programs to employees can lead to increased
productivity, employee satisfaction, and retention.
Iowa City businesses should explore offering
programs to their employees that include
telecommuting, teleconferencing, flexible work
schedules, parking discounts for clean vehicles
or carpooling, and/or pre-tax commuter benefits
that encourage the use of public transportation.
From the City’s side, a focus can be placed on
prioritizing certain public transportation projects
that enhance connections between existing
neighborhoods and large employment centers.
Additional opportunities include expanding the
existing car-sharing program (Zipcar). On a longer
planning horizon, the City and its transportation
partners, including the East Central Iowa Council
of Governments (ECICOG), will continue to
explore solutions for passenger rail service,
express bus service, and carpooling programs
between major cities in the area to expand
opportunities for commuters.
2.6 Manage Parking Options
The City will align parking policies with its climate
goals to provide an advantage for green vehicles
and alternative modes of transportation in order
to decrease the use of personal vehicles. One of
the areas to explore is the elimination of minimum
parking requirements for new developments
and options for allocation of bicycle and clean
vehicle parking spaces. Large employers can
develop parking programs that include rideshare
coordination, transit subsidies, flexible work
schedules, and bicycle accommodations to
achieve substantial reductions in parking and
personal vehicle trips. Conversely, workplaces
need to accurately assess their parking needs
and provide input to the City to assist in the
development of creative solutions that get people
to and from businesses and shopping districts.
Actions continued
2.4 Increase Compact and
Contiguous Development
Vehicle miles traveled are directly tied to how
cities are planned and developed. Communities
that are spread out, inevitably require residents
to travel greater distances to reach destinations,
therefore consuming more fuel and emitting
GHG into the atmosphere. A reduction in GHG
emissions requires changes to land use to
more compact and mixed-use developments. In
2013, Iowa City adopted a Comprehensive Plan
that encourages mixed-use development in the
Downtown and Riverfront crossings, as well as
in the neighborhood commercial and mixed-use
zones dispersed throughout the community.30
The City will continue to examine how we approve
plans with this lens of sustainability by identifying
best practices of sustainable design in the plan
review process, determining what measures can
be taken to encourage compact and contiguous
design, and encouraging infill development across
the City. Efforts will continue the City’s focus on
growth along key corridors, while preserving the
diversity of housing choices for all income levels.
41
2.7 Reduce the City’s Vehicle
Emissions Footprint
Cities around the country are working to reduce
the GHG pollution of their fleets by investing in
electric vehicles (EVs) and clean and renewable
fuels. The City recently purchased two EVs for
its fleet and will continue to look at opportunities
for increasing their number through negotiated
bulk purchases with other Midwestern cities.
Additionally, the City should consider converting
city buses and other large vehicles to cleaner
fuel vehicles at replacement. The City is currently
exploring options to add EV charging stations
at public and City-owned facilities31 and will
continue to do so. Finally, the City will set goals
for reduced idling for their fleet. In the future, an
EV readiness study for the community may be a
useful document to assist in better understanding
the transition to electric vehicles.
Actions continued
At Home:
• Use public transit, walk, bike, or carpool
instead of driving a personal vehicle.
• Examine weekly travel habits and identify
ways to combine trips resulting in a
reduction of single destination trips.
• Consider purchasing an electric or
hybrid vehicle.
• Take advantage of existing financial
incentives to undertake many of these
ideas, such as flexible transit spending or
rebates on EVs.
At Work:
• Implement policies that facilitate
telecommuting and flexible employee
schedules.
• Allocate parking spaces to hybrids, EVs
and carpoolers, if applicable, and provide
safe bike storage and showering facilities
for bikers.
• Develop a fleet management plan that
examines and tracks fleet utilization rates,
maintenance and upkeep as a means
for efficiency, and replacement of older
vehicles with fuel efficient ones.
• Consider purchasing EVs for fleets,
if applicable.
Check out the Community Action Toolkit for more information at www.icgov.org/climateaction.
How to Contribute
Taking Action: Transportation
Taking Action: Waste
43
Equity Considerations:
• Accessibility to recycling and composting
programs may not be equally and readily
available to all community residents and may
also be impacted by other participation-related
barriers, including awareness of programs,
language barriers, and cultural norms.
• In the future, populations that are situated closer
to the landfill or the wastewater treatment facility
may experience nuisance issues like bad odors
and potential health issues.
The waste sector accounts for approximately 2 percent
of Iowa City’s community-wide emissions, or about
17,575 metric tonnes of CO2e. These emissions
are derived from both the operations of the Iowa
City Landfill and Recycling Center, which accepts
waste from all of Johnson County,32 and the City’s
Wastewater Treatment Plant. Although waste is the
smallest contributor to the City’s GHG total, wastewater
and landfill operations can also indirectly cause
additional emissions associated with the transportation
of solid waste and energy used in the operation of
wastewater treatment facilities.
There are a number of reasons why we should aim to
reduce the amount of waste generated within the City
and reaching the City’s Landfill. From an environmental
standpoint, by reducing the amount of organic
materials such as food, yard waste, and textiles that
reach the Landfill, fewer methane emissions are
released when the organic material decomposes.
Reducing solid waste streams also leads to less
energy use overall associated with materials extraction,
processing, and transportation. Waste diversion
activities, such as those performed by recycling and
reuse centers, can generate jobs and support local
business development while lessening community
burdens, such as land degradation and bad odor.
Reducing the local waste stream can also extend the
life of the City’s Landfill and help maintain disposal
costs and rates for residents and businesses.
While there are several options available for reducing
the amount of waste reaching the Landfill, reducing
waste at the source by purchasing and consuming
less material will always be the most effective
recourse for dealing with waste. The modern culture of
overconsumption and throwaway lifestyle is reflected
in the steep increase in the volume of waste generated
by Americans each year, as reported by the U.S.
EPA.33 This is particularly evident in the way that food
Targets:
• Decrease the amount of waste reaching Iowa City’s Landfill by 50 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2050 from 2011 levels.
• Complete a Waste Management Plan.
Background
Taking Action: Waste
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City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 44
is wasted—over 40 percent of the food that is produced
in this country is not consumed. By focusing first on
source reduction, families and businesses can save
significant amounts of money, while lifting some of the
burden off waste management services and learning to
create value from materials that would otherwise end
up discarded.
In Iowa City, several steps have been taken to
reduce waste. The City recycling program, as it
stands today, began in 1996 and offers curbside
recycling pick-up for single-family residences, includes
several recycling drop-off sites, and in 2016, started
requiring onsite recycling availability for residents in
multifamily housing. To further reduce the amount of
waste reaching the Landfill, the City has sponsored a
Rummage in the Ramp annual event since 2007 to
divert furniture, housewares, clothes, books, and other
items from the Landfill. In 2018, a ban on cardboard
landfill disposal came into effect and will eliminate
the 4,00034 tons of cardboard received
each year. The City also operates
a composting program. In 2017, its
first year of operation, 995 tons of
food scraps collected from 15,000
households through curbside garbage
collection operations were composted.
These waste management programs
have helped divert approximately 6.7
percent of local waste from the Landfill
when comparing 2011 to 2017 figures.
Although this represents progress in the
right direction, there is still much work
to be done. The waste stream must
be further shrunk by reducing waste
at the source, encouraging a shift to
reduced and/or smarter consumption
of products, and then using alternatives
such as reuse or repair of products, or reducing food
waste. We must also explore opportunities for water
conservation, as well as more efficient processing of
water and wastewater at the Wastewater Treatment
Plant, which is the source of 15 percent of the GHGs
resulting from municipal operations. The only way to
reach the target is by creating a culture of awareness
and action within the community where everyone does
their part to contribute through their daily activities and
choices that focus first on source reduction and then
on alternatives for reuse, recycling, or composting. The
eight waste-related actions in this section will put Iowa
City on this path.
Background continued
The Connection between Water
and Wastewater Treatment and
Climate Impacts
Municipal drinking water and wastewater
treatment are closely linked to energy and
GHG emissions. On a direct level, as the
waste in wastewater decomposes, it creates
methane and other GHGs that are released
into the atmosphere.
Equally as important to consider, is the
amount of energy used to distribute potable
water to homes and businesses and, after it
is used, travels to our Wastewater Treatment
Facility for processing. After water is used
in homes and businesses across Iowa
City, its treatment accounts for the City’s
highest energy consumption across all other
municipal operations. Throughout the entire
lifecycle of water, from extraction, treatment,
conveyance, consumption, and disposal,
large amounts of energy, typically in the form
of electricity, are required. By being more
efficient and less wasteful in the use of water,
electricity can be saved, and by extension,
GHG emissions can be avoided.
45
Iowa City’s municipal solid waste
In 2016, the Iowa City Landfill received 112,411
tons of waste from all of Johnson County with the
residential sector contributing 54 percent of these
tons and the industrial, institutional, and commercial
sector contributing 45 percent.35 This translates to
about 4.2 pounds of waste36 per person for each
day of the year.
Recent efforts to characterize the waste entering
the Landfill also show that there is plenty of
opportunity to increase recycling efforts. Almost
50 percent of the waste stream consists of paper,
plastic, metal, and glass materials that have high
embedded GHG emissions associated with material
extraction, transformation, and transportation—a high
percentage of which can be recycled. A further 36
percent consists of food and organic material, the
primary source of the Landfill’s GHG emissions,
and could easily be composted or avoided through
source reduction methods. Iowa City’s ecological
footprint is analyzed in the consumption-based
inventory and highlights that Iowa City residents are
consuming four times more of the earth’s resources
per capita than what is available.37
The recent ban on cardboard is a good start
in meeting waste diversion targets; however,
consideration of consumption at the source is
necessary to ensure success. Figure 13 shows
a forecasted trajectory towards the target of
decreasing the amount of waste reaching Iowa
City’s Landfill from 2011 levels by 50 percent by
2025. The impact of the actions shown in the image
is based on common waste reduction numbers
that are achievable with the right level of effort and
coordination.
Figure 12. Organics, followed by paper and
plastic products, make up the majority of
landfilled materials
SOURCE: 2017 Iowa Waste Characterization Study
36%
26%
17%
11%
4%
4%
3%
1%
1%
Organics
Paper
Plastic
Other
Metal
Construction
and Demolition
Glass
Durable
Household Hazardous
Materials
Taking Action: Waste
-
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
2010 2016 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Action - Source Reduction Action - Banning CardboardAction - Increasing Composting Action - Increasing RecyclingAction - Diverting C&D waste Action - Diverting Durables by reusingOtherTarget
Figure 13. Past and projected waste to landfill (tons of waste) to exceed 140,000 tons by 2050
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 46
3.1 Increase Recycling At
Multifamily Properties
In November 2016, City Council passed a
resolution requiring all multifamily apartments
and condominiums with four units or more to
provide recycling for their tenants. The mandate
has a two-year implementation goal, and by the
end of 2018, will extend recycling to more than
10,000 households that had not previously been
offered the option.38 To enhance the effectiveness
of the program, the City will continue to educate
landlords, property managers, and tenants
in an effort to expand coverage and increase
recycling rates. Educational opportunities include
development and distribution of informational
materials, such as new tenant/owner packets, and
encourage the involvement of residents through
the identification of “building champions” who can
offer guidance to their neighbors.
3.2 Increase Composting of Organics
This action involves increasing the overall
diversion of organics, such as food and yard
waste, as well as textiles, by supporting the
expansion of the City’s existing composting
program through focused efforts on source
reduction, education, and exploring options for
engagement of businesses that generate large
volumes of organic waste. These efforts will
be done in partnership with regional and local
entities to encourage further composting efforts at
home or at private facilities. To accommodate the
increased volume of organic waste expected from
these efforts, the City will also explore the viability
of increasing the capacity of its compost facility.
3.3 Reduce Waste at the Source
Iowa City’s consumption-based emissions
inventory, “Ecocity Footprint Tool Pilot”, analyzed
consumption of goods and services within Iowa
City. This study showed that residents in Iowa
City are consuming per capita more than four
times more of the earth’s resources than what
is currently available. For Iowa City, 96% of the
footprint associated with goods consumed are
due to production and transport, rather than
use and disposal. The report identifies the need
to focus on consumption reduction, which is
shown to be about ten times more impactful
than recycling. The City will continue to educate
residents on existing programs and opportunities
to curb consumption by reducing and reusing
material goods. Emphasis will be placed on
reducing priority materials that have a high level
of embedded carbon, in particular wasted food,
paper, plastic and clothing.39
Actions
47
3.4 Establishing Partnerships to Divert
Construction Waste from the Landfill
By reusing construction materials that would
otherwise be disposed of in a landfill, it is
possible to avoid the emissions that would come
from additional resource extraction, material
processing, and transportation of finished goods
and products. To increase the diversion and reuse
of construction and demolition materials, the City,
its partners, and the greater community should
assist in the expansion of existing and new waste
diversion programs. This will be done by building
partnerships between existing organizations
that accept deconstruction waste and potential
networks of source materials, expanding
education and training efforts to deconstruction
and demolition companies, contractors, and
developers, and providing guidance and materials
for residents and businesses to make them aware
of the opportunities and benefits of incorporating
reused materials in their construction projects.
3.5 Reduce Waste at City Facilities
The City is working to reduce waste in its own
operations by minimizing resource use through
efficient business practices that consider
opportunities for energy, fuel, and waste efficiency
in bid requirements from potential vendors and
in evaluation criteria. The City is also working to
increase recycling at government facilities and
will aim to recycle 50 percent of its waste by
2025 and 75 percent by 2050 in alignment with
the overall targets. Finally, the City will explore
methods for garbage pickup and hauling that are
more efficient in reducing the amounts of GHG
emissions generated through transport.
3.6 Create a Comprehensive Waste
Management Plan
In recent years, cities across the U.S. have begun
adopting Integrated Solid Waste Management
principles and developing comprehensive plans
to effectively manage waste operations. To
help plan for the long-term future, Iowa City will
develop a waste management plan that looks
at waste reduction at the source, recycling,
composting, and disposal in a holistic manner,
while considering the complexity of surrounding
jurisdictions that also contribute to the Landfill.
The Plan will set strategic targets for waste
minimization and diversion with an initial iteration
focusing on waste at City facilities. Further out,
the City can expand planning efforts to include
other sectors of the community and explore
partnerships with other jurisdictions. At the core
of the plan will be an effort to encourage a
fundamental change in attitudes towards waste—
to focus on source reduction first and then reuse
and recycling as alternatives to disposal.
Actions continued
Taking Action: Waste
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 48
3.7 Take Action on a Study to Efficiently
Capture and Use Methane from
Wastewater Operations
After water is used by residents, it flows into the
wastewater system and then goes to the City’s
Wastewater Treatment Facility. While the City
currently captures methane gas from the digesters
used in the wastewater treatment process, only
a portion of the methane is used to offset natural
gas usage for the plant. To explore other options
for further management of wastewater GHG
emissions, the City should conduct a study to
determine the feasibility of using all captured
methane to create renewable fuel or electricity
that can be used to operate the facility, and take
specific actions based on the results of this study.
3.8 Take Action on a Feasibility Study
on Energy Generation from Landfill
Methane
The methane produced by decomposition of
organic waste in the Iowa City Landfill is currently
being flared to transform it into carbon dioxide,
which is a less potent GHG. The City has been
considering methods to use the methane as a
renewable energy source, and to further explore
this opportunity, the City will conduct a feasibility
study in FY2019 and take specific actions based
on the results of this study.
Actions continued
Check out the Community Action Toolkit
for more information at www.icgov.org/
climateaction.
How to Contribute
At Home:
• Practice source reduction by being mindful
of purchasing patterns.
• Buy products with minimal packaging
and recycled content and avoid buying
disposables.
• Initiate or participate in “repair cafes” as a
means of giving longer life to household
items that might otherwise be disposed.
• Compost organic waste at home or
through the City’s composting program.
• Buy fewer, more durable goods, especially
clothing.
• Repair instead of purchasing a new item.
• Increase recycling efforts.
• Be efficient with use of water.
At Work:
• Implement sustainable procurement
policies.
• Motivate employees to reduce their waste.
• Buy products with minimal packaging
and recycled content and avoid buying
disposables.
• Compost organic waste, if applicable.
• Increase recycling efforts.
• Be efficient with use of water.
Taking Action: Adaptation
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 50
Equity Considerations:
• Some populations, including aging adults,
children, persons with disabilities, economically
stressed, non-English speakers, and homeless
persons, may be particularly vulnerable to
impacts of emergencies, health impacts and
natural disasters and could fall through gaps in
access to information, services, and resources.
• As climate extremes such as heavy rainfall
and heatwaves become more common and
intense, businesses, employees, and patrons
throughout Iowa City will face challenges. Iowa
City residents of all backgrounds could then
be challenged by the ability to get to work and
businesses could experience a decrease in
patronage, both of which could result in closed
businesses or reduced operating hours for
key businesses.
As Iowa City works to limit future climate change
through emission reductions, it is vitally important to
acknowledge what data says—the climate is already
changing. Iowa City is experiencing increased
precipitation and rising temperatures with rising
frequency of damaging events. These recent changes
are projected to become more pronounced in the
coming years. It is important to prepare for these
changes to minimize disruptions in everyday quality
of life and avoid putting lives and property at risk.
Addressing climate adaptation touches on Iowa City’s
built environment, natural environment, the economy,
and both social and human health. As part of this Plan,
Iowa City developed a vulnerability assessment and
climate adaptation report that can be found at
www.icgov.org/climateaction.
Targets:
• Identify vulnerable populations in Iowa City and develop communications and outreach approach
• Assess and plan for climate-related health impacts
• Assure coordination in preparedness planning with relevant agencies
• Assess stormwater management from citywide and neighborhood-specific perspectives
Background
Taking Action: Adaptation
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Co-Benefits:
51
Iowa City has already been hard at work addressing
climate adaptation. Critical assets that were
compromised in the June 2008 flood were addressed
in a manner that included an eye towards long-term
adaptability. The City’s North Wastewater Treatment
Facility was inundated by flood waters and major
upgrades were made to the City’s South Wastewater
Plant so the North Plant could be shut down.
Homeowners in several areas of the community
with properties no longer habitable and prone to
repeated flooding were assisted and compensated
in a mitigation buyout program. Construction on the
Iowa City Gateway project began in May of 2016
with completion set for the fall of 2018. The project
includes the elevation of Dubuque Street, Iowa
City’s main arterial between I-80 and the downtown,
to the 100-year flood elevation plus one foot and
reconstruction of the Park Road Bridge, widening the
span across the river by 100 feet and elevating the
bottom of the structure to the 200-year flood elevation
plus one foot. These improvements are being made
to maintain the transportation network and provide
dependable emergency routes during flood events.
Iowa City also amended floodplain regulations to
require new and substantially improved structures to
be elevated or floodproofed to one foot above the 500-
year flood elevation.
Climate readiness, climate preparedness, and climate
resiliency are all different names for this important
work that many cities are taking on. As a component
of the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan,
the City has taken important steps to analyze and
recognize local climate risks, identify critical municipal
and community-wide assets that are subject to
risk, and determine populations that are particularly
vulnerable to climate change. This comprehensive
planning effort will position Iowa City so that the effects
of our changing climate will be minimized and people
across the community will be prepared ahead of time
to effectively respond to extreme weather events.
Lastly, humans aren’t the only ones affected by
changes in climate. Increased temperatures,
precipitation, and seasonal fluctuations have an
impact on the ecosystem including, plants, animals,
and insects. Iowa City’s recent Natural Areas
Inventory and Management Plan identified that
natural areas will need to be managed with climate
adaptation in mind. Some strategies outlined in
Background continued
Taking Action: Adaptation
the Plan include changing the timing and frequency
of prescribed fire, increasing efforts to respond
to greater invasive species pressure, considering
using species from more southern areas for new
plantings, and addressing how runoff, water quality,
and erosion impact ecosystems. As a community, we
need to recognize a responsibility to protect wildlife,
pollinators, and plant life in our community, and
change our responses to resource management as
the climate changes.40
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 52
4.3 Analyze Climate-Related Public
Health Impacts in Iowa City
Given that Iowa City’s changing climate brings
with it a host of public health implications, the City
should document and prepare to address them.
Acute and chronic respiratory illnesses, heat
stress, and vector-borne diseases are just a few
of the public health impacts expected. The State
of Iowa and Johnson County provide a significant
amount of public health data that Iowa City can
utilize, and natural partners may include Johnson
County, the University of Iowa, and hospital and
health facilities. Documenting the most likely
public health impacts related to climate change
will guide the City and its public health partners to
better prepare to address them. The results of this
analysis should be integrated into other actions,
including asset mapping, communications and
outreach, and preparedness planning.
4.2 Develop Communications
and Outreach Plan for Vulnerable
Populations
City departments and external stakeholder
groups and partners specific to supporting
vulnerable populations will communicate the
City’s adaptation work. This work will focus on
preparedness for extreme weather events, general
climate impacts, and opportunities to make
homes and businesses less prone to flooding
(when applicable), and in general, more resilient
to Iowa City’s changing climate. It is important
to note that many external stakeholders may not
currently connect issues of climate adaptation
to their focus; therefore, outreach efforts will
often require initial exploratory conversations,
carefully planned discussions, and training and
empowerment of ambassadors for effective reach.
Actions
4.1 Conduct a Vulnerable Populations
Asset Mapping Exercise
Assets, as defined in this document, are positive
forces within our neighborhoods that improve
the quality of life for people across Iowa City.
Particularly pertaining to vulnerable populations,
there are many governmental programs,
community groups, religious institutions, mission-
based organizations, and social service agencies
whose work targets them directly, or indirectly, by
addressing the vulnerability factors that may affect
them. Within one year, the City will identify lead
partners and work to “map” the civic infrastructure
or “community-based assets” specific to
vulnerable populations and/or the outlined
vulnerability factors. The intent is to initially
document Iowa City’s resources that can then
be mobilized in other actions below, such as the
development of the communications and outreach
plan and defining clear roles in a preparedness
plan.
53
Actions continued
4.4 Coordinate Extreme Weather
Preparedness Planning with Local
Agencies
Iowa City will collaborate with Johnson County
and other relevant internal and external agencies
to establish emergency procedures related to
climate preparedness. The City will incorporate
this information into vulnerable population
communication plans so that people across the
community know these plans and procedures
exist and understand what to expect during an
emergency.
The Iowa River in Iowa City reached three of its four
historically highest crest (peak water) levels in the last
10 years with records dating back to 1851.41 The
flood that the City experienced in June of 2008 had a
record crest level of 31.53 ft.
The Flood of 2008 impacted many communities
across Eastern Iowa, including the urban centers
of Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. In Iowa City, it is
estimated that nearly 700 homes and over 250
businesses were damaged by floodwaters, while
nearly 2,000 acres were flooded.42 Since then, the
City has successfully initiated the buyout of 101
homes located in flood-prone areas to avoid this
kind of devastation for homeowners in the future.
The City’s north wastewater treatment facility was
rendered nearly inoperable and provided very limited
functions for over 30 days. The South Wastewater
Treatment Plant was expanded and the flooded
North Plant was demolished and is in the process
of becoming a riverfront park/wetlands area. Critical
assets, such as bridges and rail lines, were also
damaged.
Overall, there was an estimated $7 million in
damage to public property, and significantly higher
amounts for private property damage. The University
of Iowa alone is said to have suffered $232 million
in damage and lost operations.43
June 2008 Flood
Taking Action: Adaptation
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 54
4.5 Assess Citywide and Neighborhood
Stormwater Management
Managing stormwater runoff is a common
problem faced in the built environment. In
urbanized and growing communities like Iowa
City, it is important to address existing buildings
and green space, while developing clear
guidelines for newly planned areas. Currently,
the City abides by the State’s guidelines and
incorporates stormwater work into the capital
project planning process. The City’s work in
riparian planning near rivers, creeks, and other
waterways includes the use of native plants and
removal of invasive species. The City will continue
to work to identify neighborhood stormwater
conveyance issues that may exist and consult
stormwater best practices to find opportunities to
address these problems.
Significant public education that pushes
individuals to also consider their actions on
private property will be useful. Residents and
business owners should consider native plantings,
that require less irrigation, or employ other onsite
stormwater management tactics. These include
inspection-approved permeable pavement and
rain gardens that allow water to naturally seep into
the water table, or if space permits, rain barrels
and cisterns to capture water for “graywater use,”
such as watering plants or washing a vehicle.
4.6 Expand Iowa City’s Tree Canopy
Iowa City maintains a street tree inventory,
and total tree coverage across the city is at 33
percent. The City acknowledges that trees are
an important element in both climate mitigation
and adaptation because they remove carbon
dioxide from the air, storing the carbon in trees
and soil, while releasing oxygen into the air. Trees
increase comfort by providing immediate shade
and cooling to people, buildings, and pavement.
In order to protect trees, the City has a sensitive
areas ordinance and policies regarding tree
removal for developing areas. The City is also
preparing for the loss of ash trees related to
the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer. Taking all
this into consideration, Iowa City will continue to
maintain and monitor its current stock of trees
and encourage growth, and expansion where
appropriate.
Actions continued
Check out the Community Action Toolkit
for more information at www.iowa-city.org/
climateaction.
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
At Home and At Work:
• Be active in the community, get to know
your neighbors, and participate in City and
neighborhood planning efforts.
• Connect a rain barrel to your gutter system.
• Consider using permeable pavement,
implementing a green roof, and installing
other green infrastructure alternatives.
• Avoid installation of additional non-
permeable pavement.
• Plant native plants and trees, while
considering the strategic location of trees
as a means to increase shade.
Taking Action: Sustainable Lifestyle
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 56
Equity Considerations:
• Some populations, including older
adults, children, persons with disabilities,
economically stressed, non-English speakers,
homeless populations, and other groups
can often fall through gaps in the access to
information, services, and resources.
• Some aspects of a sustainable lifestyle
may have increased upfront costs, such as
the purchase of high efficiency appliances,
alternative fuel vehicles, community-supported
agriculture, etc., while later reducing costs in
other areas, such as fuel purchases or long-
term health costs associated with a poor diet.
• Programs that support local businesses can
inject money into the local economy, creating
job opportunities.
In the public forum held during plan development,
and in the survey, many residents expressed strong
interest in behavioral and lifestyle changes perceived
to be more environmentally responsible and
associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions.
In discussions of the steering committee, it was
recognized that sustainable living actions would have
co-benefits for the climate action plan here in Iowa
City. For example, many sustainable living initiatives
would generate excitement and visibility within the
Targets:
• Moving towards a “One Planet Living” lifestyle that addresses the global impact of Iowa City’s consumption
• Creating a culture of sustainability across Iowa City as a general way of life
• Promoting local food options and considering eating less meat and dairy
• Practicing source reduction by eliminating waste before it is created
Background
Taking Action: Sustainable Lifestyle
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Co-Benefits:
57
community, draw residents into further education
and mitigation actions, and seed new partnerships.
Successful sustainable living initiatives could
enhance ties between existing partners, engender
new partnerships, providing marketing materials
around sustainability, and generate entrepreneurial
opportunities. Therefore, the committee felt that
sustainable living actions should be facilitated by
the City. To the degree they can be implemented,
they will reduce emissions directly in Iowa City,
such as waste and transportation-related emissions.
Furthermore, as shown in the City’s Consumption-
Based Emissions Inventory, there are additional
GHG reductions outside the boundaries of Iowa City
associated with many sustainable living actions.
Some people across Iowa City already understand
this, as four out of five survey respondents expressed
that the biggest barrier to addressing climate change
is “difficulty in changing behavioral habits.”
There are many initiatives we can take that add
significant value by serving as a catalyst for
community-wide action and change the mindset of
neighbors, residents across the community, business
owners, City employees, and others. Making this kind
of broad change requires well-crafted education and
outreach that connects what data is telling us to the
actions we take in our daily lives. Good examples of
success with this kind of cultural shift in thinking are
the campaigns created in the 1970s around smoking,
wearing seatbelts, or littering.
The City has already taken strides to create
awareness on how our personal choices make a
difference, particularly in waste and recycling, with
the expansion of recycling services and initiation of
food composting. In the survey cited above, over
90 percent of Iowa City respondents indicated that
reducing waste was an action they were currently
taking to reduce the impacts of climate change. This
awareness has not yet translated into significantly
increased rates of recycling. Similarly, recognizing
the impact our individual food choices have on
emissions “upstream” or outside of Iowa City is
important as well. Building upon this can result in
a groundswell of community support around more
climate-related actions that we can take at home with
an understanding that if each of us chooses a few
actions where we personally can have an impact, the
end result will put Iowa City on the path needed to
create a climate-aware community.
Most of the actions in this Plan have quantifiable
reductions in GHG emissions associated with them.
Sustainable Lifestyle actions presented in this
section are much harder to quantify in locally-based
emissions due to calculation methodologies and the
difficulty in estimating impacts for actions that cause
reductions outside of the immediate geographical
boundary. However, they do result in reducing global
emissions and are equally as important in their
ability to create awareness and lead to healthier
and happier communities. These actions can lead
to healthier lifestyles, support for local businesses
and jobs, and increased green space. Finally, some
actions do contribute to reducing emissions at a
scale than can be calculated for purposes of this
Plan; in other words, direct emissions occurring within
the boundaries of Iowa City.
Background continued
Taking Action: Sustainable Lifestyle
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 58
5.1 Encourage a Plant-Rich Diet
Several groups of engaged residents across Iowa
City are already acting on the importance of a
plant-rich diet, or at minimum, adding more plants
to their diets and reducing meat consumption—
even if only for a day—such as the popular
“Meatless Monday” national campaign that aims
to create awareness. Iowa City’s survey of around
800 participants indicated that “eating a plant-
based diet” was the least frequent action selected
when participants were asked to indicate all of
the actions they currently take to reduce climate
change impacts. The City will support other lead
groups in the development of an education and
outreach campaign that features the climate
benefits of a plant-rich diet and other ancillary
benefits, such as improved health and disease
prevention. Implementation will include work to
connect other potential partners, such as the
network of community gardens across the city,
community-supported agriculture (CSAs) in the
region, and farmers markets.
Shifting to a plant-rich diet can have numerous
economic and health benefits for Iowa City
residents. For example, plant-based diets can
help reduce calorie intake, helping individuals
manage their weight, and prevent a variety of
diseases.44
Actions
5.2 Expand Community Gardens and
Access to Healthy Local Foods
Across Iowa City, there are a variety of ways for
community members to access locally-grown
plants and vegetables. Farmers markets, personal
gardening, and community-supported agriculture
are all ways to ensure that people across Iowa
City have access to healthy local foods. The City
also operates a community garden plot leasing
program in which anyone can lease a plot at one
of four (soon to be expanded to six) different sites
to grow their own produce, as well as participate
in the Beginning Gardening program. Tapping
into its Parks Master Plan, the City can identify
appropriate expansion of new land for community
groups to create vegetable gardens and provide
additional plots for leasing as popularity of the
Beginning Gardening program expands. To get the
greatest adoption of this program, focus will be
on neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by
poverty and food insecurity.45 Community-based
organizations and institutions such as churches,
neighborhood groups, and associations can
help take responsibility for suggesting locations,
recruiting leaders and community members, and
setting up and maintaining these gardens. The
City will consider the type of aid it may be able
to provide, including but not limited to, different
leasing options, basic liability insurance, water
access, a “big tools” garden lending program,
and limited start-up funds for low-income
neighborhoods.
Plant-Based Diet
By shifting to a predominantly plant-based
diet, GHG emissions occurring outside
of Iowa City can be impacted. Livestock
converts about 11 percent of the energy it
is fed into human food and dairy products46
and a significant amount of emissions are
associated with the clearing of land for
agriculture, the growing of single-crops for
feed, and methane released from the animals.
The Environmental Defense Fund reports that
if each American replaced chicken with plant-
based foods at just one meal per week, the
carbon dioxide savings would be the same
as taking more than half a million cars off
American roads.47
Photo credit: Wild Woods Farm
59
5.3 Encourage the Purchase of Local
Products and Responsible Purchasing
Purchasing local products can result in the
direct elimination of emissions associated with
transportation, while also supporting local
jobs and economic development. Similarly,
purchasing reused and more durable products
can also affect emissions. For this action, the
City will engage partners across Iowa City to
help educate residents on the importance and
impact of sustainable consumption habits and the
multiple benefits to buying local food and other
goods. The combination of initiatives may include
developing innovative campaigns in collaboration
with business owners, and facilitating the setup of
business fairs, farmers markets, and other events
that promote local businesses and sustainable
consumption.
5.4 Create Funding Mechanisms to
Support Community-Wide Climate
Action
Climate action efforts can have various costs
associated with them, some of which require the
creative identification of funding mechanisms to
make the projects a reality. To support residents,
businesses, and community-based organizations
in the implementation of actions included in this
Plan, the City will document funding gaps and
existing financial incentives, identify a variety of
potential funding partners, and investigate best
practices used in other cities. Proven mechanisms
and tools that work in other communities include
revolving loan funds, public-private partnerships,
and working with utilities to access incentives
and develop programs best suited to help utility
customers use energy more efficiently.
5.5 Incorporate This Climate
Plan into the City’s Sustainability
Communications
The City currently implements a number of
sustainability-related communications efforts that
utilize the City’s website, a dedicated newsletter,
cable programming and resources, and social
media platforms. Developing and implementing
a coordinated communications effort for the
City’s climate work will help to expand existing
efforts to inform people of the City’s sustainability
progress and its leadership in climate action.
It will also serve to solidify Iowa City’s climate
“brand,” while making sure this message reaches
all members of the community. Communications
staff will work closely with those City staff
charged with developing annual progress
reports for the Plan and STAR Community
Rating reports, while focusing on educational
and awareness opportunities to make sure the
full community is engaged. Demographic and
geographic considerations will be essential to the
effectiveness of the communications plan. Key
elements of the communications plan will likely
engage people on why “climate action now” is
important and how residents can contribute to
the actions that will allow Iowa City to reach its
emission reductions goal.
Actions continued
Taking Action: Sustainable Lifestyle
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 60
5.6 Initiate a Green Recognition
Program
There are many existing green certification or
labeling programs available to all building types,
such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED), Green Business Certification Inc.
(GBCI), and Green America. Building owners
and operators will be encouraged to explore
the benefits of participating in these programs
that lead to energy and cost savings, employee
comfort, and the associated marketing component
that allows businesses to share their stories
and attract customers due to their sustainability
commitment. As part of this action, within one
year, the City will explore putting together a
recognition program that acknowledges non-
residential building owners that successfully
participate in a green labeling or sustainable and
environmentally focused recognition program.
Actions continued
5.7 Develop Internal City
Sustainability Operations Guide
The City will consider existing sustainability efforts
and build from these to develop internal sustainable
policies for departments and divisions to integrate
into their daily work. The development of an
everyday office guide will examine daily habits
regarding computer usage and overhead lighting,
responsible use of paper, and other relevant
measures. Further, a sustainable meetings policy will
carry over key practices—some already implemented
by City employees—into meetings, which will lead
to more efficient energy use, further reductions in
paper consumption, and other resources. The City
will provide guidance on the use of ambient light,
“officially” permit and encourage teleconference
attendance at meetings when possible, send
meeting materials electronically, use recycled paper
products, and use real dishes or compostable
food handling materials for meetings with food.
Finally, sustainable purchasing guidelines will
outline the purchase of recycled paper and energy
efficient office equipment, as well as support local
purchasing and other sustainability considerations
as desired. The end goal is to increase the use of
environmentally superior products where quality,
function, and cost are equal or greater. This may
also include products and packaging materials
that contain a prescribed minimum post-consumer
recycled content and/or substitutes with more
environmentally appropriate alternatives.
How to Contribute
At Home:
• Buy local products and services.
• Purchase durable goods whenever
possible.
• Eat less meat and dairy and shift to a more
plant-based diet.
• Practice source reduction by curbing
consumption.
• Recycle properly to avoid unintended
contamination.
• Consider planting fruits and vegetables
instead of buying them.
• Conserve water and use it more efficiently.
• Reduce at least one car trip per week.
• Walk, bike, and carpool more.
• Engage family, friends, and neighbors.
At Work:
• Implement a supplier program to focus use
on local products and services.
• Participate in an existing, nationally
recognized green certification program.
• Develop green office guidelines and
engage employees.
Check out the Community Action Toolkit
for more information at www.icgov.org/
climateaction.
Plan
Implementation
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 62
The Plan provides a roadmap to a more sustainable
and resilient future. Reaching this future requires
that we go beyond planning to focus on directed
implementation where everyone plays a part.
As mentioned previously, collaboration will be
needed between the City’s elected officials and staff,
businesses, industry associations, the University,
community-based organizations, utility service
providers, nonprofits, and residents to ensure these
goals are reached. For many of the actions included
in this Plan, it will be especially important to identify
champions, and support collaboration across sectors
and even across regions with other cities in the county.
Whether one is active in their community, making
personal efforts to have a more sustainable lifestyle,
or working in a business with commitments to
sustainability, every effort counts. It is the sum of all of
these discrete initiatives that will allow those who live,
work, and play in Iowa City to magnify the impact of
these actions and create a better life for all. Everyone
is invited to continue efforts and take additional action
using the guidance provided in this Plan. Together,
great strides towards ensuring a sustainable future for
Iowa City can be made.
Further, because the Steering Committee provided key
input and direction in the development of this Plan, the
members may be the ideal starting point in building a
“Climate Action Advisory Board.” The Board would be
a continuation of the existing body that helps to lead
and support implementation of the Plan. Key areas of
involvement will include, but not be limited to, assisting
the City in tracking all performance metrics associated
with each action and overall progress; engaging and
recruiting partner agencies and groups to lead specific
actions; initiating action subcommittee and partner
next steps; and serving as a general go-between for
the City, partner agencies, and the general public. In
many respects, this role will define and shape itself as
time moves forward, so those involved must be ready
to help guide direction and fill in where gaps persist
initially. The success of this Plan is contingent upon
the City’s full support and an engaged community,
led by those with an intimate knowledge of the Plan,
along with others whose demonstrated commitment to
at least one key area of the Plan is evident. A cultural
shift is necessary to make relevant and substantial
change; without direct support, innovation, and actions
coming from the Iowa City community, this Plan will not
succeed.
In hindsight of this planning process, and despite
an initial attempt to create broad representation of
the community, the Steering Committee and City
have identified additional groups that have not been
fundamentally included in the planning stages. The
City of Iowa City and the community will be making
choices about how to best implement the actions
prescribed in the Plan. To minimize the potential of
unfair or inequitable implementation of Plan actions,
the Steering Committee’s equity sub-committee
reached a conclusion that these Plan actions should
be reviewed more in-depth for equity considerations.
A comprehensive review which hears from and
incorporates views from populations which could be
most impacted by implementation will be an essential
step in guaranteeing that certain populations are not
disproportionately impacted by how the actions are
executed.
Call to Action
63
This Plan equity review team, consisting of the City,
individual community members, and representative
groups can use the Iowa City Equity toolkit as a
template, or develop some other method of evaluation.
The equity sub-committee suggests that this team
prioritize action review first by actions that could be
initiated the fastest and actions that could have the
greatest impact upon specific individuals or groups.
One of the struggles the equity sub-committee
encountered was to determine which people of this
community are needed to make sure that a wide
variety of groups found in Iowa City are represented
on an equity review team. Along with the Iowa City
Equity Director, the equity sub-committee defined a
non-exhaustive list of groups to consider as part of
the equity review team, including veterans, persons
who rent, senior adults, secondary and university
students, youth, persons with disabilities, immigrants,
refugees, English-Language-Learners, persons who are
homeless, households with low-incomes, and other
persons characterized as a protected class. The equity
sub-committee recommends seating a standing equity
review group, which includes some or all of these
groups to ensure equity is a standard consideration
and achievement in future plans and actions.
Plan Implementation
Call to Action continued
Glossary
65
Adaptation: Adjustment or preparation of natural or human systems to a new or
changing environment which lowers the risks posed by the consequences of
climate change.
Carbon Footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted into
the atmosphere each year by a person, family, building, organization, or company. A
person’s carbon footprint includes GHG emissions from fuel that an individual burns
directly, such as by heating a home or riding in a car. It also includes GHGs that come
from producing the goods or services that the individual uses, including emissions from
power plants that make electricity, factories that make products, and landfills where trash
is sent.
Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (CCP): One of three major global
transnational municipal networks aimed at reducing urban GHG emissions. Established
in 1993, the CCP program houses more than 650 municipal governments representing
over 30 participatory countries
Climate Change: Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of
climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes
major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others, that occur
over several decades or longer.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A naturally occurring gas and also a by-product of burning
fossil fuels and biomass, as well as land-use changes and other industrial processes. It
is the principal anthropogenic GHG.
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e): A measure of the global warming potential
(GWP) of all GHGs emitted including methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and other
gases in addition to CO2.
Compact of Mayors: A global coalition of city leaders addressing climate change by
pledging to cut GHG emissions and preparing for the future impacts of climate change.
Now joined with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
Consumption-Based Emissions Inventory (CBEI): Refers to an emissions
inventory that in addition to traditional emissions created within the city limits, evaluates
emissions associated with all consumption, regardless of where it is produced. Local
governments are beginning to pursue this type of inventory to better understand how
food and other materials purchased and consumed by the community have an impact
on the environment and economy.
East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG): A regional planning
agency that provides planning and technical assistance to local governments in Benton,
Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington Counties.
Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM): An international
alliance of cities and local governments with a shared long-term vision of promoting
and supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and move to a low emission
resilient society.
Global Warming Potential (GWP): Multipliers for each greenhouse gas developed
to compare the heat-trapping ability of individual GHGs relative to that of carbon dioxide.
Global Protocol for Community-scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
(GPC): A standard method for accounting and reporting city-wide GHG emissions
created by World Resources Institute, G40 Climate Leadership Group and ILLEI. This
protocol is required for the Global Covenant of Mayors.
Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI): An American organization that
provides third-party credentialing and verification for several rating systems relating to
the built environment.
Green Infrastructure: Ecological systems, either natural or engineered, which
manage water in a way that mimics the natural water cycle and lessen wet weather
impacts.
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): Include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4),
nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur
hexafluoride (SF6).
Heat Island: An urban area characterized by temperatures higher than those of the
surrounding non-urban area. As urban areas develop, buildings, roads, and other
infrastructure replace open land and vegetation. These surfaces absorb more solar
energy, which can create higher temperatures in urban areas.
International Code Council (ICC): A member-focused association dedicated
to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe,
sustainable, and affordable construction through the development of codes and
standards used in the design, build, and compliance process.
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI): International
nonprofit organization providing software and assistance for communities
Glossary
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 66
to calculate their emissions. ICLEI was formerly known as International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives and has changed their name to Local Governments
for Sustainability.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): A unit of electricity.
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC): A building code created by
the International Code Council in 2000. It is a model code adopted by many states and
municipal governments in the United States for the establishment of minimum design
and construction requirements for energy efficiency.
Iowa City Metro Area: As defined by the United States Census Bureau, an area
consisting of two counties in Iowa (Johnson and Washington) anchored by the City of
Iowa City.
Last Mile: A supply chain management and transportation planning term to describe
the movement of people and goods from a transportation hub to a final destination.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED): A set of rating
systems for evaluating the design and environmental performance of buildings, homes,
and neighborhoods. Devised by the United States Green Building Council, the system
provides specifications to projects for environmentally friendly actions, both during the
construction and use of the building.
Methane (CH4): A hydrocarbon that is a GHG with a global warming potential 21
times that of carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is produced through anaerobic (without
oxygen) decomposition of waste in landfills, animal digestion, decomposition of animal
wastes, production and distribution of natural gas and petroleum, coal production, and
incomplete fossil fuel combustion.
Metric Tonne: One thousand kilograms, or approximately 2,205 U.S. lbs.
Mitigation: A human intervention to reduce the human impact on the climate system; it
includes strategies to reduce GHG sources and emissions.
Mixed-Use Development: Characterized as pedestrian-friendly development that blends
two or more residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, and/or industrial uses.
Natural Gas: Underground deposits of gases consisting of 50 to 90 percent methane
(CH4) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as propane
(C3H8) and butane (C4H10).
Net Zero Energy Building: A building which produces as much energy as it uses
over the course of a year.
Resilience: The capacity of a community, business, or natural environment to prevent,
withstand, respond to, and recover from a disruption.
STAR Communities: A nonprofit organization that works to evaluate, improve, and
certify sustainable communities. The organization administers the STAR Community
Rating SystemTM (STAR), a framework and certification program for local sustainability.
Territorial-Based Inventory: A method of GHG emissions accounting that looks at a
geographic territory as the boundary for the accounting. Territorial-based approaches do
not take into account GHG emissions from products and services that are imported to a
territorial boundary and are consumed within the boundary.
Therm: A unit of measure for energy that is equivalent to 100,000 British Thermal Units
(BTUs), or roughly the energy in 100 cubic feet of natural gas. Often used for measuring
natural gas usage for billing purposes.
Thermal Decarbonization: Replacing fossil fuels (such as natural gas) with low-
carbon energy or renewable sources to meet thermal (or heating) needs. Also referred
to as building electrification.
U.S. Conference of Mayors: Official non-partisan organization of cities with a
population of 30,000 or larger.
U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement: A voluntary initiative in which
participating mayors commit their cities to taking action to reduce GHG emissions. The
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Mayors
and was unanimously endorsed by the conference in June 2005.
Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN): A peer-to-peer network of local
government professionals from cities across the United States and Canada dedicated to
creating a healthier environment, economic prosperity, and increased social equity.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): A unit used to measure vehicle travel made by
private vehicles, including passenger vehicles, truck, vans, and motorcycles. Each
mile traveled is counted as one vehicle mile regardless of the number of persons in
the vehicle.
Glossary continued
Appendices
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 68
Methodology for GHG Impact Calculations for Actions in
Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
GHG impact calculations for actions in the Plan were
developed using a spreadsheet model that relied upon
data from the Iowa City Community-wide Greenhouse
Gas Emissions June 2017 Inventory Update, data
from the United States Census Bureau, and published
research as described below. The primary method
used, estimates the GHG reduction impact of a single
activity, such as retrofitting a building to conserve
energy, and multiplies that by a citywide scale of
implementation to estimate the impact of an action
once fully deployed.
Targets
Iowa’s City’s emissions reduction targets of 26 to 28
percent below 2005 levels by 2025 (27 percent was
used for the sake of calculations) and 80 percent
below 2005 levels by 2050 were compared to its
historical, current, and forecasted future emissions
under a business as usual scenario.
The impact of Iowa City’s electricity provider
becoming 100 percent renewable and the University
of Iowa Power Plant switching away from coal was
incorporated into a modified forecast of future
emissions.
The GHG reduction impacts of the actions in Iowa
City’s Plan were then analyzed for 2025 and 2050.
Taken together, the actions in the plan, when
implemented at scale, will allow Iowa City to meet its
GHG goals.
Strong program evaluation is essential to ensure that
the actions Iowa City implements perform as expected.
Frequent real-world measurements of impact will help
Iowa City stay the course toward its goals and make
adjustments as needed. The estimated impact of
actions for this report are intended to give a sense of
the scale of activity needed to meet Iowa City’s goals
and should not be taken as a substitute for measured
impact performance tracking.
Buildings Calculation
Assumptions and Targets
Because the adjusted future scenario already includes
zero emissions electricity, the GHG impact of the
Buildings Actions comes in the form of reduced
natural gas use and associated emissions. Efficiency
and renewables that reduce use of grid electricity will
continue to have significant benefits, such as cost
savings and resilience improvements.
• Existing Buildings: Retrofit 10 percent of all
buildings by 2025 and 90 percent by 2050.
o Retrofits are estimated to save 30 percent of
energy use in 2025 and go deeper to have
saved 56 percent on average by 2050.
o Retrofits are cumulative—the building retrofitted
in 2020 is assumed to still be generating
savings in 2025.
• New Buildings: Achieve 45 to 48 percent energy
savings in new buildings due to code enforcement
by 2025, and 80 percent energy savings by 2050
due to code enforcement and phased-in approach
to net zero energy policies.
o To avoid double counting, these buildings are
assumed to be a separate set with different
savings than the existing buildings undergoing
energy efficiency or buildings with on-site
renewable energy efforts.
• Renewable Energy or Whole Building High
Efficiency Equipment: Transition 3 percent of
buildings with natural gas to high efficiency
electrical heat powered through low-carbon
electricity sources by 2025 and 25 percent
by 2050.
Transportation Calculation
Assumptions and Targets
Transportation calculations account for the overlapping
impacts of the actions—a household that switches to
an electric vehicle running on renewable energy may
also start biking to work, but they will not save the
emissions that their commute used to create more
than once. A widespread adoption of zero emissions
vehicles by 2050 is included in all actions as a
significant decrease in the carbon emissions of the
average vehicle mile traveled in Iowa City.
• By 2050, replace 55 percent of vehicle trips
with sustainable transportation options, such as
public transportation, bicycle, pedestrian, or clean
vehicles.
o GHG emissions reductions result from reducing
vehicle travel (vehicle miles traveled) and
associated emissions and gasoline use by
carpooling, taking public transit, walking, biking,
and reducing the number of trips taken.
o Vehicle travel in Iowa City is forecasted to
increase significantly. The actions in this
category at the scale discussed, curb that
growth, but do not stop it.
o Calculations assume public transit ridership
growth occurs on existing routes or electric/
zero emissions transit. If fossil fuel transit is
69
Methodology continued
expanded or run more frequently, emissions
savings will be less.
o Because the Community-wide GHG inventory
only looks at vehicle travel within Iowa City,
emissions reductions are considered only within
city borders as well, but many of the actions
identified could create emissions benefits
for other communities that are origins or
destinations of travel.
• Increase community-wide adoption of electric and
alternative fuel vehicles.
o Alternative fuels are modeled as electric vehicles
running on zero emissions electricity—2 percent
of vehicle travel in Iowa City in 2025, and 50
percent in 2050.
o Transportation electricity demand will increase
as electric vehicles are used more widely,
but community-wide electricity demand will
decrease if new and existing building efficiency
actions are taken.
o Improvements to the municipal fleet are
assumed to be included in this calculation.
Waste Calculation Assumptions
and Targets
• Decrease the amount of waste reaching Iowa
City’s Landfill by 50 percent by 2025 and 80
percent by 2050 from 2011 levels.
• Complete a Waste Management Plan.
o Waste emissions are modeled to decrease
against business as usual based on the
combination of waste actions in the Plan.
o The waste and wastewater emissions
remaining after waste management solutions
are implemented are assumed to be largely
addressed through energy generation strategies.
If studies prove these to be unfeasible for
Iowa City, additional waste management will
need to be implemented to reduce waste and
wastewater emissions and meet the 2050
GHG target.
Sources
The primary source of data was the communitywide
GHG inventory spreadsheet “Iowa City Emissions
Tracking Calculator.xlsx” provided by Iowa City staff.
Supplemental data included the U.S. Census American
Community Survey, local building permit data, the
Federal Highway Administration’s National Household
Travel Survey, U.S. Energy Information Administration
data, Iowa City’s Long-Range Transportation Plan,
Iowa Economic Development’s “Advancing Iowa’s
Electric Vehicle Market,” the Center for Neighborhood
Technology’s CNT Housing + Transportation
Affordability Index, and local waste data provided by
City staff.
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 70
Quotes from the Survey
In order to elicit feedback from a broader cross
section of Iowa City stakeholders, Iowa City
launched an online survey following the November
2017 community meeting. The survey was active
for six weeks, during which about 800 people
shared their interests, concerns, and experiences
as they relate to climate change, as well as their
basic demographic information. Survey responses
provide crucial insights to supplement feedback
and information gathered during community
meetings; additionally, demographic information
helps to pinpoint stakeholders that may require
additional engagement efforts. Insights have been
incorporated into the development of this plan.
Over half of respondents reported that they think
about climate change every day and yet the majority
felt they were only “moderately” informed, indicating
a need for additional educational opportunities.
Despite this, nearly every respondent reported
taking at least one step towards reducing climate
change impacts, most frequently by reducing waste
and reducing electricity consumption.
Sixty-five percent of respondents expressed interest
in participating in future projects associated with
the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
Respondents reported being most interested in
learning more about residential and commercial
energy efficiency and renewable energy alternatives.
Impacts on agriculture and food production, loss
of habitat and species, decreased air quality, and
increased flooding were the most frequently cited
concerns associated with climate change, some of
which are addressed directly and indirectly in this
plan.
Only one demographic was underrepresented in
the online survey: non-white populations. Otherwise,
survey respondents were evenly distributed by age
and annual household income. Iowa City must do
more to reach out to underrepresented groups and
ensure that the feedback of all Iowa City residents
is included moving forward. This is important in the
implementation of all actions, and particularly so
with specific actions, such as the development of a
communications plan for vulnerable populations.
“Finding a way to incentivize the members of our
community to take steps towards improving the
efficiency of their homes and businesses, with
respect to the opinions of people on all sides of this
issue, will get people brought into the greater goal
of increased sustainability of the resources in our
area, reduced dependence on non-renewables, and
making the Iowa City area a better place for our kids
and grandchildren.”
“The plan should focus on
voluntary and incentivized programs
that encourage participation, not
command and control policies
that undermine affordability
and drive development to other
communities.”
“Make sustainable living more inclusive and not a luxury.”
“Change begins with commitment from
businesses and cities. Start there, and
people will follow! Also, if you want people
to utilize alternative ways of transportation
you need to make it more safe for cyclists.
There is a demand for it, and people are
more likely to change their behaviors if you
make them feel safe. Hope to see some
change all around in the near future!”
“Often times sustainability is seen as a niche activity that is not accessible to
people of color. It is important that the city make a deliberate push to show
marginalized folks how climate change negatively affects the community.”
About the Survey
71
Additional Quotes from the Survey
“Encouraging and
facilitating a change
toward a more plant
based diet is probably
the most important
thing an individual can
do to reduce their
contribution to climate
change.”
“Be more inclusive to those who don’t
necessarily embrace the majority opinions…We
need discussions about the human aspects of
sustainability--the beauty that we lose by using
products and approaches that aren’t as they should
be…We need to integrate our values with our natural
human quest for beauty.”
“In my experience, the City has a number of
conflicting policies and rules that work against
the promotion of energy efficiency and climate
protection. I also think that the City needs to work
with economic development folks throughout the
corridor, and create a real alternative to commuting
to Linn County in private vehicles. 1000s of people
commute every day. Either create functional mass
transit, or create living wage jobs in Iowa City.”
“I strongly urge the City to go out into the
community to inform. Holding workshops etc
only downtown or in the ‘usual places’ does not
encourage dialogue or participation. It is the
City’s responsibility to meet with residents, not
for residents to always take the initiative to meet
with the City.”
“Thanks for addressing this critical problem locally.”
“Behavior changes when culture and infrastructure change.”
“Culture. For Iowa City to meaningfully reduce its carbon footprint, the City operations,
University, industry, developers/landlords, and businesses all need to take part. When these
actors lead the way, combined with a public promotion/celebration of their efforts and
successes, will help build a culture of reducing our climate impact…Resilience. Connect the
dots for people on how this climate action plan will build resilience in the community. (E.g.
City facilities that have had energy audits and upgrades will better weather extreme temps
and use less fuel when prices spike.)”
Taking Action: Sustainable Lifestyle
“Let’s be leaders.”
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 72
Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan –Survey Results
as reported by SurveyMonkey® -799 respondents
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Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 74
Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
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Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 76
Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
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Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 78
Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
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Survey Results as reported by SurveyMonkey® - 799 respondents
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 80
Stakeholder Interviews
A series of stakeholder interviews were conducted in July and August 2017. Not all individuals and organizations contacted resulted in a scheduled interview due to
scheduling conflicts or unavailability. Below is the list of external and internal interviews conducted at the beginning of the planning process.
Ryan Sempf
Martha Norbeck
Nancy Bird
Duane Van Hemert
Sara Maples
Becky Ross
Eric Johnson
Pete Rolnick
Rafael Moratoya
GT Karr
Tracy Hightshoe
Stan Laverman
Geoff Fruin
Karen Howard
Ron Knoche
Jason Havel
Tim Wilkey
Kevin Slutts
Jen Jordan
Jon Resler
Dan Striegel
Wendy Ford
Marcia Bollinger
Kumi Morris
Mark Rummel
John Yapp
Tim Hennes
Bob Miklo
Kent Ralston
Zachary Hall
Stefanie Bowers
Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce;
Steering Committee Member
C-Wise; Steering Committee Member
Iowa City Downtown District
Iowa City Community School District -
Operations Department
University of Iowa Office of Sustainability
100 Grannies
Iowa City Climate Advocates
Iowa City Climate Advocates
Center for Worker Justice
Homebuilders Association; Steering
Committee Member
Neighborhood & Development Services Coord.
Senior Housing Inspector
City Manager
Associate Planner
Public Works Director
City Engineer
Wastewater Superintendent
Water Superintendent
Solid Waste Superintendent
Streets Superintendent
Equipment Superintendent
Economic Development Coordinator
Neighborhood Outreach/Neighborhood Council
Facilities Manager
Acting Transportation Director
Development Services Coordinator
Sr. Building Inspector
Sr. Planner
Executive Director, Johnson County MPO
Parks Superintendent
Equity Director
External
Name Organization/Affiliation (if application)
Internal
Name City Title/Department
81
Summary of Actions – Expanded Table
The table below is an expanded version of the table on pages 22 through 24, and includes these additional categories: type of action; implementation and potential
partner agencies. Actions marked with a star are high priority action items.
City Of Iowa City Climate Action And Adaptation Plan 82
Summary of Actions – Expanded Table continued
83
Summary of Actions – Expanded Table continued
Table Definitions:
Action: Description of the proposed strategy or action
Type of Action: Type of action being proposed within the following categories: Education, Program, Partnership, Policy, Study, Lifestyle, Plan, Project, and Lead by Example.
Sector: The type of building or individual where the action can be implemented; home, work or (city) government
Implementation period: The time it will take to begin implementing this action; Short term: within 1-2 years; Mid-term: within 5 years; Long term: within 5+ years
Cost: The comparative cost of implementing each action on a scale of $ through $$$. Note that the costs can be borne by a variety of stakeholders.
Impact: The comparative emissions impact on Iowa City emissions that result from the implementation of each action on a scale of * through *** rating. Impact ratings are
ranked in their ability to reduce Iowa City GHG emissions based on the 2015 Iowa City Community-wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Additional Table Notes:
1. Because Iowa City’s electricity source will be 100 percent renewable by the end of 2020, the actual emissions reduction for community solar activities will be minimal.
2. The impact of City government buildings, vehicle fleet, and waste reduction activities alone as separate actions is minimal on Iowa City’s community-wide emissions
profile. However, the City strongly believes in leading by example and taking action, just like others in the community. The incremental actions of each individual person,
business, and organization will allow us to achieve our overall community-wide targets.
3. While the immediate impact on emissions in Iowa City may be relatively small, the global impacts related to eating more plants and less meat result in a very high impact.
Table Definitions:
Action: Description of the proposed strategy or action
Type of Action: Type of action being proposed within the following categories: Education, Program, Partnership, Policy, Studies, Lifestyle, Plan, Project, and
Lead by example.
Sector: The type of building or individual where the action can be implemented; home, work or (city) government
Implementation period: the time it will take to begin implementing this action; Short term: within 1-2 years; Mid-term: within 5 years; Long term: within 5+
years
Cost: The comparative cost of implementing each action on a scale of $ through $$$. Note that the costs can be borne by a variety of stakeholders.
Impact: The comparative emissions impact resulting from the implementation of each action on a scale of * through *** rating. Impact ratings are ranked in
the capacity of direct emissions reductions or ability to incentivize widespread behavior change that is necessary to facilitate and support long term action, and
thus imperative to reaching emissions reduction targets.
Additional Table Notes:
1. Because Iowa City’s electricity source will be 100% renewable, the actual emissions reduction for community solar activities will be minimal.
2. The impact of city government buildings, vehicle fleet and waste reduction activities alone as separate actions is minimal on Iowa City’s community-
wide emissions profile. However, the City strongly believes in leading by example and taking action, just like others in the community. The incremental
actions of each individual person, business and organization will allow us to achieve our overall community-wide targets.
84
Endnotes
1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Climate Report – January 2018
2. The 10 Hottest Global Years on Record. Climate Central. January 18. 2018. www.climatecentral.org/gallery/graphics/the-10-hottest-global-years-on-re-
cord.
3. Climate in the Heartland. Heartland Regional Network of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. September 2015.
4. 2015 States at Risk. Climate Central. Access date: March 8, 2018 http://statesatrisk.org/iowa/extreme-heat.
5. Climate in the Heartland. Heartland Regional Network of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. September 2015.
6. “Scientific Consensus: Earth’s Climate is Warming.” National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Access date: June 11, 2018. https://climate.
nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
7. Note: The Compact of Mayors has since joined with another organization to become the Global Covenant of Mayors
8. “Compact of Mayors: The biggest collaboration to accelerate climate action.” www.uclg.org/en/node/23789
9. Note: In June 2017, the City released an update to the community-wide GHG inventory in the form of a Community-wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Report that is available on the city’s website www.icgov.org/climateaction.
10. Note: This is an imperfect comparison as this municipal GHG inventory includes landfill emissions for waste from all Johnson County residents, while the
community inventory only includes emissions from waste produced by residents in Iowa City.
11. Note: www.icgov.org/project/iowa-city-climate-action-and-adaptation-plan#Greenhouse%20Gas%20Reports
12. ecocity Footprint Tool Pilot, Iowa City Summary Report. Urban Sustainability Directors Network. December 2017.
13. Note: A global hectare is a biologically productive hectare with globally averaged productivity for a given year. It is an estimate of how much biologically
productive land and water area an individual or population needs to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb the wastes it generates.
14. ecocity Footprint Tool Pilot, Iowa City Summary Report. Urban Sustainability Directors Network. December 2017.
15. Guide to Equitable, Community Driven Climate Preparedness Planning. Urban Sustainability Directors Network. May 2017.
16. Note: This figure is an estimate based on forecast information and is not a guarantee of actual wind production. The figure is for planning purposes only
and cannot be relied on for any claims of renewable energy received.
17. “Lifting the High Energy Burden in America’s Largest Cities: How Energy Efficiency Can Improve Low-Income and Underserved Communities.” American
Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy. April 2016.
18. “Iowa Takes Huge Step Backward on Energy Efficiency, While Other States Move Ahead.” Martin Kushler. May 10, 2018. Access date: May 25, 2018.
http://aceee.org/blog/2018/05/iowa-takes-huge-step-backward-energy
19. Let’s Get Rolling: Iowa City Bicycle Master Plan. Summer 2017. Page 16.
20. Let’s Get Rolling: Iowa City Bicycle Master Plan. Summer 2017. Page 18.
21. Let’s Get Rolling: Iowa City Bicycle Master Plan. Summer 2017. Page 18.
22. Long Range Transportation Plan 2012-2040. Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County. May 2012. www8.iowa-city.org/weblink/0/
doc/1503520/Electronic.aspx
23. Iowa Commuter Transportation Study. Iowa Department of Transportation. December 2014. www.iowadot.gov/commuterstudy/
24. Iowa City Downtown and Pedestrian Mall Streetscape Plan Update. February 2014. https://downtowniowacity.com/wp-content/up-
loads/2016/08/2014.02-IC-DT-Streetscape-Master-Plan-Report.pdf
25. Iowa City Routes. Bongo-Bus on the Go. Access date: March 15, 2018. www.bongo.org/routes/iowa-city/
26. SEATS Paratransit Service. Access date: March 15, 2018. www.icgov.org/city-government/departments-and-divisions/transportation-and-resource-man-
agement/transit/seats
85
27. Transit Network, Metro Area Transit Network. Access date: March 15, 2018. www.livablecommunity.org/Handler.ashx?Item_ID=B3B3F06A-CEF8-4BFD-
8467-1F7D443498AB
28. Let’s Get Rolling: Iowa City Bicycle Master Plan. Summer 2017. Page 44.
29. Iowa City Downtown and Pedestrian Mall Streetscape Plan Update. February 2014. Page 150, Prioritization chart.
30. Iowa City Comprehensive Plan. Access date: March 15, 2018. www.icgov.org/city-government/departments-and-divisions/neighborhood-and-develop-
ment-services/development-services/urban-planning/comprehensive-and-district-planning.
31. Note: The City has set aside funds in 2018’s budget to add two EV charging stations to visible public parking facility locations.
32. Note: Even though the landfill accepts waste from all of Johnson County, Iowa City’s community-based greenhouse gas inventory only accounts for the
percentage of waste generated by the Iowa City population.
33. “Municipal Solid Waste.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Access date: March 25, 2018. https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/
web/html/
34. “All Iowa City apartment buildings will start offering recycling this year.” Little Village. January 8, 2018. http://littlevillagemag.com/iowa-city-apart-
ments-recycling-mandate/
35. 2017 Iowa Statewide Waste Characterization Study. Iowa Department of Natural Resources. December 2017. Page 16.
36. Note: Assumes tons reported in Waste Characterization Study are US tons, i.e. 2000 lbs., and Johnson County population of 144,251 (2015)
37. ecocity Footprint Tool Pilot, Iowa City Summary Report. Urban Sustainability Directors Network. December 2017.
38. Apartment Recycling Pilot Program. Access date: March 22, 2018. www.icgov.org/recycling#Apartment%20and%20Business%20Recycling
39. ecocity Footprint Tool Pilot, Iowa City Summary Report. Urban Sustainability Directors Network. December 2017
40. Iowa City Natural Areas Inventory and Management Plan. January 2018. www8.iowa-city.org/weblink/0/edoc/1781877/IA%20City%20NAI%20Final%20
Report_reducedsize.pdf
41. National Weather Service
42. “2008 Flood: Rising Waters, Rapid Changes.” History Corps - University of Iowa. Accessed on May 9, 2018. https://thestudio.uiowa.edu/historycorps/
exhibits/show/flood
43. “2008 Flood: Rising Waters, Rapid Changes.” History Corps - University of Iowa. Accessed on May 9, 2018. https://thestudio.uiowa.edu/historycorps/
exhibits/show/flood
44. “Fighting Global Warming with Food.” Environmental Defense Fund. Access date: April 17, 2018. http://web.archive.org/web/20080923070051/http:/
www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentid=6604
45. Note: An article on food security cites that “about 14% of Johnson County residents are food insecure — one of the highest rates in the state of Iowa —
and 40 percent of them don’t receive government food assistance.” http://littlevillagemag.com/fighting-hunger-in-iowa-despite-food-to-spare-disparity-re-
mains/
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